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YOHALE  SARAH 

CONTAINING 

Religious  Duties 

)  OF  THE  ( 

Daughters  of  Israel 

— )  AN  D  (— 

MORAL    HELPS 

Compiled  and  revised  from  authoritative  sources 
BY 

RaT:lDi  Abraham  E.  Hirschowitz 

As  a  safeguard  against  irresponsible  persons  who  print 

unreliable   books   on   the   subjects  contained    in 

this    work,    the  approbation    of  rabbinical 

authorities  are  reprinted  here  to  remove 

any  doubt  as  to  the  authoritative 

character  of   the  provisions 

contained  therein. 


THIRD    EDITION 


New     York 

5677-1917 

Copyngh  t  All  rights  reserved . 


Ck>pyright,  1902,  at  the  Library  of  Congress,  Washington,  D.  C 
by  Rabbi  Abraham  E.  Hirschowitz. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


In  1902  when  I  considered  the  publica- 
tion of  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  I  found 
great  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  written  state- 
ment admitting  the  advisability  of  putting 
this  book  on  the  market.  The  objection  be- 
ing of  course,  the  Laws  concerning  Niddah. 
I  will  say  for  these  men  of  learning  to  whom 
I  applied,  that  they  all  agreed  however,  as 
to  the  value  of  the  knowledge  of  these  laws 
to  the  Jewish  women,  even  though  they 
would  not  commit  themselves  in  an  open 
statement. 

That  this  book  has  been  of  practical 
value  is  proved  by  this  necessity  for  a  sec- 
ond edition,  and  what  is  even  more  gratify- 
ing to  contemplate,  is  the  fact,  that  both  our 
leading  men,  and  the  public,  have  come  to 
recognize  that  thorough  knowledge  is  not 
incompatible  with  innocence  and  that  ignor- 
ance of  these  laws  that  are  made  for  the 
health  of  this  and  future  generations,  is  a 
positive  sin.  I  may  add  that  today  the  pro- 
foundly important  problems  connected  with 


parenthood  and  tlic  bringing  into  existence 
of  i)urc  and  liealthy  offspring  are  recognized 
in  all  lluir  weightiness  and  their  vast  inllu- 
ence  upon  the  future  of  the  race.  These 
problems  were  long  ago  studied  by  the  Sages 
of  Israel  and  if  mankind  will  obey  the  wise 
and  moral  injunctions  laid  down  by  them 
on  this  subject,  marriage  will  become  a 
nobler  and  happier  state  than  it  usually  is 
at  present  and  the  greatest  blessings,  both 
physical  and  spiritual,  will  result  to  pos- 
terity. 


SRLF 
URL 


OC/  ■ 


■/• 


INDEX 

Page 

Preface  to     "Religious  Duties"  ii 

A  Word  to  my  sisters       jT'nn  njnjni  nn^'n  m'DC'a     viil 


X 


Moral  Helps  ^\^2^D  nilD 

Talebearing  T'n:)1  niboi  niD'K 

Hate  '\22b2  I'nN  nx  KJt'n  NP,y'0        xi 

Revenge  niDH  Nt)1  Dipn  K^  ,rO 

Love  to  strangers  "Ijn  HN  Dn3nN1,y"D 

Cruelty  to  Animals  n"V2  lyv  niD^K  ^mi       xii 

no  ^y  'n  -ix:'D  idx'i  t^'"»^  pnxn 

Numbers,  Chap.  22,  verse 32      IJiriN    nX   n-DH 

ic''nn  iiK'  DiDnn  xb  "I'nrn  )3i 

Honor  due  to  Parents  Dnin   lUD  /y"C        xv 

Charity  nplY  niV»      xvi 

Lending  n-O:  HNlSn  mVD       xx 

Hospitality  H'TI  nua   ,D'muX  nDJDH     xxii 

Circumcision  nb'D  ^jn   xxiil 

Redemption  of  the  First  Born  pri  ]V1Q  ""jn  xxiv 

Laws  of  the  Mezuzah  HTITD   TT     xxy 

Where  "Niddah"  is  not  incluted  see  extra  pamphlet. 

Laws  for  Purifying  Utensils  (n^yjn)  xxvii 

Time  of  Searching  Leaven  *  xxix 

To  Rid  the  House  of  Leaven  (npn3)  xxxi 

Law  Concerning  Leaven  on  Erev  Passover  xxxi 

When  Erev  Passover  falls  on  a  Sabbath  xxxiii 

Laws  Concerning  the  Sedar  Nights  xxziii 

Preface  to  Third  Edition  of  1917  A-E 


I  K  t)  E  X. 


Preface  —  —  —  —  — 

Hadlakah  (Laws  for  Lighting  Candles  for  Sabbath 

&  Festivals)  —  —  —  — 

Prayers  on  Lighting  Candles    —  —  — 

Niddah  (Purification)    >__—.— 

Challah  _  _  —  —  — 

Laws  Concerning  the  Salting  of  Meat    —  — 

Duties  for  Parents  in  Training  Children  — 

Evening  Meditation      —  —  —  — 

Morning  "  —  —  —  — 

Meditation  for  the  Sabbath  after  Lighting  Candles 

••  "     Passover  "  " 

M  ••     Pentecost  "  " 

••  •«  Feast  of  Tabernacles     «• 

««  "     the  New  Year  •• 

Prayer  "      ••    Day  of  Atonement  «• 

Prayer  of  Bride  on  Wedding  day  —  — 

Parent's  Prayer  on  Child's  Wedding  Day  — 
Prayer  of  Thanksgiving  for  Women  on  Recovery  from 

Childbirth  —  —  —  — 

Prayer  for  Sick  Child    —  —  —  — 

Short  Form  of  Grace  after  Meals  —  — 

Morning  Prayer  for  Children       —  —  — 

Night  —  —  — 

Confession  on  a  Death  Bed         —  —  — 

Memorial  Service  for  the  Dead  —  — 

Selections  from  the  Psalms  of  David       —  — 


—   3 


32 
34 
41 
47 
48 
60 
52 
63 
55 
66 
58 
60 
61 

63 
66 
67 
68 
70 
72 
73 
75 


n. 


.pi«^ij  p"£)  njin  i^^'^p  ^,"1  r^:^Dr2r[  V't  ]nrn 

Rabbi  Abraham  E.  Hirschowitz, 
Geehrter  College ! 

Ihre  mir  freundlichst  zugesandte  Arbeit, 
betittelt:  "Religious  Duties  of  the  Daughters  of 
Israel",  hat  mich  ungemein  erfreut.  Sie  haben 
einem  hierzulande  langst  gefuhltem  Bedurfnisse 
abgeholfen.  Mit  Sorgfalt,  Geschick  und  Fach- 
kenntniss  haben  Sie  die  notwendigsten  reli- 
giosen  Vorschriften,  welche  den  isr.  Frauen 
obliegen  in  gefalliger  ansprechender  Form 
zusammengefasst.  Den  vorziiglichsten  Werken 
dieser  Art,  in  den  verschiedensten  Sprachen, 
reiht  sich  das  Ihrige  wiirdig  an.  Und  in  der 
engl.  Sprache  diirfte  es  in  seiner  Vollkommen- 
heit  das  Erste  und  sicherlich  das  Vortrefflichste 
sein.  Welch  ein  herrlicher,  anregender,  stim- 
mungsreicher  Geist  entstromt  den  darin  ent- 
haltenen,  Herz  durchdringenden,  Gemut  erhe- 
benden   Gebeten !    Ihr  Werk   durfte  bald   ein 


m. 


unentbehrliches  belehrendes  und  erbauendes 
Hausbuch  fur  Alle  isr.  Familien  werden.  Dank 
und  Anerkennung  werden  Ihnen  zollen  alle, 
die  fur  die  weihevollen  Reinheitsgebote  jiid. 
Hauswesens,  und  fur  die  etischen  Heiligkeits- 
pflichten  jud.  Ehelebens  Sinn  und  Empfindung 
haben.  So  sei  denn  dasselbe  alien  glaubens- 
treuen  jud.  Frauen  und  Jungfrauen  angelegent- 
lichst  empfohlen  zur  Erhebung  jud.  Geistes 
und  zur  Verjungung  judischen  Gamuts! 

New  York,  21.  Elul  5662. 

Rev.  Dr.  Ph.  Klein. 


n::nD  ni^T  pin  D^Dyn  '?::'?  «in  ^^b:  d31  (ta"^ 
jv^n  ^b2  n£D  D'Binb  *n^  hn  s^^«  on""  b^b  ,d''-i£d 

.:3"D-in  S^«  'J  pni<^ 


IV. 


RABBI  ABRAHAM  E.   HIRSCHOWITZ, 
Honorable  Colleague  :- 

Your  work,  entitled:  ••Religious  Duties  of  the 
Daughters  of  Israel",  which  you  so  kindly  sent  to 
me,  has  given  me  a  great  deal  of  pleasure.  You  have 
supplied  a  want  long  felt  in  this  country.  With  care, 
aptitude  and  professional  knowledge  you  have  collect- 
ed the  most  necessary  religious  precepts,  to  which 
Israelitic  women  are  duty-bound,  and  presented  them 
in  a  pleasing  and  appealing  form.  Your  work  ranks 
worthily  with  the  eminent  works  of  this  kind  in  the 
different  languages.  And  in  its  perfection  it  is  the  first 
and  surely  the  most  excellent  in  the  English  language. 
What  a  noble,  inciting,  harmonizing  Spirit  issues 
from  the  heart-penetrating,  soul-elevating  prayers 
therein  I  Your  work  should  soon  become  an  indispens- 
able, instructive  and  elevating  work  to  all  Israelitic 
families.  Gratitude  and  Recognition  will  be  granted 
you  by  all  who  have  an  interest  and  a  feeling  for  the 
sacred  laws  of  Purity  of  the  Jewish  household  and  for 
the  ethical  duties  of  sacredness  of  the  Jewish  marriage 
life.  Therefore  may  the  same  be  recommended  to  all 
truly  religious  women  and  maidens,  for  the  elevation 
of  the  mind  and  the  rejuvenescence  of  the  Jewish 
spirit 

BEY.  DB.  PH.  KLEIN. 

(Tkit  it  a  trmnslati*n  of  the  f0rtgoimi  UiUrJ 


The  following  women  have  aided  me  in  publishing  this 
Important  work  and  have  kindly  undertaken  to  spread  it 
among  our  Jewish  Daughters,  who  may  require  it.  We 
herewith  give  them  our  blessing  that  their  names  may  be 
remembered  in  time  to  come  for  the  service  they  render  to 
our  present  and  future  generations  : 

mK'     Mrs.  Rev.  Dr.  B.  Revel,  Hoa.  Pres. 
np2-i    Mrs. .Rev.  Dr.  H.  Goldstein,  Pres. 

Mrs,  Rabbi  N.  Ebin,  1st  Vice-Pres.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
VT'-'-ID  Mrs.  Rev.  Dr.  Goldfarb,  2nd  Vice-Pres. 

m:r     Mrs.  Dr.  M.  Levine,  Sec'y,  5022— 14th  Ave.,   B'klyn 
6  nijf   Mrs.  Sarah  Scharlin,  Pres.  Noshim  Rochmonoth  Soc'y 
yDy3     Mrs.  Necha  Marks 
n~t!'     Mrs.  Morris  Shidlovsky 
D'"lO  ^jys    Mrs.  Aaron  Goodman 
np3~l     Mrs.  Max  Bacon 

njn     Mrs.  Morris  Bergman 
np3"l     Mrs.  Wolf  Liberman 
y^jy  ^'n  Mrs.  Myer  Merkin 
nr'tr    Mrs.  Rabbi  A.  Hirschowitz,  4520- ISth  Ave,,  B'klyn 
yjy^^     Mrs.  Lewis  Hirschowitz 

D'"lO     Mrs.  B.  Mendelson 
'n  NDH  Mrs.  M.  StoU 

This  book  and  any  information  concerning  it,  may  be 
obtained  from  the  Secretary,  Mrs.  Dr.  Morris  Levine, 
5022-14th  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


VL 


Preface. 


Purity— An  Ideal  of  Judaism. 

To  be  pure,  that  is,  to  preserve  soul  and  body 
free  from  stain  of  guilt  or  defilement,  is  a  fundamental 
precept  of  the  Mosaic  Law.  Numberless  passages 
enjoin  upon  Israel  this  duty  of  purity,  and  even  the 
great  Day  of  Atonement,  with  its  wonderful  ritual  for 
expiation  of  sin  and  forgiveness,  has  for  its  final  object 
the  attainment  of  purity.  The  Psalmist  and  the 
Prophets  reecho  this  sentiment  and  clothe  in  most 
fervent  words  their  longing  for  purity.  Purity  cannot, 
however,  be  confined  to  the  soul  alone.  Man  is  made 
up  of  physical  and  spiritual  elements,  of  body  and 
Boul.  It  is  necessary  to  control  and  regulate  by  wise, 
moral  and  religious  precepts  both  elements  of  our 
being,  in  order  that  we  shall  attain,  to  a  complete  and 
harmonious  development  of  body  and  soul.  That  is 
the  ideal  of  Judaism,  a  pure  soul  in  a  pure  body,  as 
the  Psalmist  says: 

-mpn  Knn  pa:  mi  D\n^K  '•i'  xia  iinta  2^  "A.  pure  heart 
create  unto  me,  O  God  and  a  right  spirit  renew  within 
me"  (Psalm  I,  12).  This  ideal  of  purity  is  a  subject  of 
great  importance,  which  is  usually  left  unmentioned 
and  conoeming   which,    therefore,   much  deplorable 


vn. 


ignorance  exists,  on  account  of  its  delicacy  and  that 
social  convention  which  declares  public  reference 
thereto  an  offence  against  propriety.  That  this  con- 
dition is  a  wrong  one  requires  no  proof.  On  a  matter 
like  this,  which  is  of  fundamental  importance  in  human 
life  and  upon  which  the  great  and  solemn  responsi- 
bility of  fatherhood  and  motherhood  depends,  not 
ignorance,  but  full  and  accurate  knowledge,  alike  of 
the  physical  and  religious  laws  involved,  should  be 
the  prevailing  condition.  Who  can  number  the  well- 
meaning  and  intrinsically  righteous  persons  who,  be- 
cause of  ignorance,  are  guilty  of  habitual  sin  against 
the  laws  of  health,  morality  and  God?  In  order  to 
prevent  these  evils,  the  writer  has  compiled,  from 
authoritative  sources  the  rabbinical  precepts  on  these 
matters  and  because  they  concern  especially  those, 
who  are  to  be  the  wives  and  mothers  of  this  and 
coming  generations,  he  has  incorporated  them  in  a 
book,  devoted  to  elucidating  the  religious  duties  of 
the  Daughters  of  Israel.  The  book  also  treats  in  a 
thorough  and  authoritative  manner  of  the  other  re- 
ligious obligations,  specially  incumbent  upon  Jewish 
wives.  I  trust,  therefore,  it  will  be  found  useful  in 
deepening  and  strengthening  the  religious  life  of  the 
present  and  in  making  the  Jewesses  of  to-day,  worthy 
sisters  of  Miriam  and  Deborah  of  Hannah  and  Esther. 
Should  it  aid  in  but  a  slight  degree,  in  bringing  about 
this  desirable  result,  the  author  will  have  all  the 
reward  he  asks. 


vin. 
A  WORD  TO  MY  SISTERS. 

"Hear  my  daughter  the  correction  of  a 
Father,  for  good  infornialion  I  give  you. 
Acquire  wisdom,  acquire  understanding, 
and  follow  whither  I  lead  in  the  paths  of 
uprightness.  The  commencement  of  wis- 
dom is  the  fear  of  the  Lord  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Most  High  One,  is  understand- 
ing. Lay  fast  hold  of  correction,  let  Her  not 
go,  keep  Her,  for  She  is  Life." 

These  things  which  my  Father  has 
taught  me,  I  would  here  pass  on  to  my  sis- 
ters, who  desire  to  fulfill  their  religious  duties 
with  understanding: — 

Above  all,  your  first  duty  is  the  keep- 
ing of  the  Holy  Sabbath,  by  not  violating  it. 
Even  if  your  circumstances  be  such  that 
your  husband  is  forced  by  necessity  to  vio- 
late the  Sabbath,  it  is  still  your  duty,  as  wife 
and  mother,  to  keep  the  sanctity  of  this  day, 
by  all  that  lies  in  your  power. 

Do  no  shopping  this  day,  make  it  a  day 
of  rest  and  happiness,  make  it  a  day  when 


IX. 

you  keep  your  children  about  you  and  use 
the  time  to  study  their  natures,  to  instil  in 
them  the  necessary  moral  lessons  and  duties. 
Make  them  love  the  day  through  the  close 
intimacy  into  which  you  enter  with  them 
and  whenever  it  lies  in  your  power  use  your 
intellig-ence  to  lead  the  husband  you  love, 
in  the  path  of  goodness  and  righteousness. 

Keep  your  house  "Kosher"  according  to 
our  Holy  Laws,  eat  no  ''Trefah,"  which  is 
injurious  to  both  body  and  soul,  buy  your 
"Kosher"  meat  from  a  butcher  whom  you 
know  personally  as  an  honest  man.  The 
sign  ntJ^D  is  not  sufficient  guarantee,  as  here 
in  New  York,  there  are  many  unscrupulous 
men  who  sell  for  "Kosher"  that  which  is 
"Trefah."  Salt  your  "Kosher"  meat  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  herein  given.  The  ignorant 
buy  "Trefah"  meat  and  by  salting  think  they 
make  it  "Kosher,"  but  this  is  foolish,  for  no 
amount  of  salting  will  change  "Trefah"  to 
"Kosher." 

"Carry  out  faithfully  these  Holy  Laws 
commanded  us,  that  it  may  be  well  with  us 
at  all  times." 


X. 
MORAL  HELPS. 


Talebearing: — It  is  written  (Leviticus 
19 — 16)  "Thou  shalt  not  go  up  and  down 
as  a  talebearer  among  thy  people."  This 
applies  to  the  gossip  monger,  who  goes  from 
one  to  another  and  thus  speaks  to  each: — 
''That  person  spoke  about  you  in  such  and 
such  a  manner,  I  have  heard  so  and  so  about 
what  that  one  did  to  you."  Even  if  what 
he  says  be  true,  it  is  included  in  the  nega- 
tive command  quoted  above.  More  repre- 
hensible is  slander  which  consists  in  spread- 
ing reports  defamatory  of  one's  neighbor, 
for  even  if  they  be  false  reports,  he  may 
spoil  his  neighbor's  reputation. 

It  is  forbidden  to  cause  discord.  One 
should  not  relate  to  others  anything  con- 
fided to  him  by  his  neighbor  unless  he  be 
given  permission  to  do  so.  It  is  forbidden 
to  practice  deception  on  anj  body,  be  he  Jew 
or  Non-Jew. 

A  man  should  cultivate  the  faculty  of 
silence,  conversing  only  on  matters  of  wis- 
dom or  necessity,  learn   to  speak  gently  to 


XI. 

all,  and  refrain  from  conversing  on  worldly 
matters  in  the  Synagogue,  or  House  of 
Learning.     (Beth  Ha-Midrash.) 

Hate: — It  is  written  (Leviticus  19 — 17) 
"Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thine 
heart."  This  command  forbids  one,  even 
though  he  speak,  peacefully  to  his  neighbor 
to  cherish  inward  sentiments  of  hatred  to- 
wards him. 

One  who  asks  his  neighbor  to  do  him 
a  favor  should  not  bear  a  grudge  against 
him  if  he  does  not  do  it,  nor  should  he  take 
revenge  of  his  neighbor. 

It  is  incumbent  upon  a  man  to  love 
strangers  and  be  considerate  in  the  treat- 
ment of  orphans  and  widows  even  if  they  be 
wealthy.  Cursing  and  invoking  the  judg- 
ment of  Heaven  upon  one's  neighbor  is  for- 
bidden. 

Pride  and  anger  must  be  controlled  and 
governed  by  man,  lest  they  become  vices  and 
govern  him.  A  man  should  be  willing  to 
learn  from  all,  to  accept  the  truth  no  matter 
who  speaks  it,  to  be  zealous  in  promoting  his 


XII. 

neighbor's  welfare,  to  promote  peace,  to  be 
mindful  of  the  day  of  death  and  to  have  con- 
stantly in  view  the  object  of  his  creation. 

Cruelty  to  Animals: 

Our  Holy  Torah  forbids  us  to  inflict 
needless  suffering  on  any  living  thing.  Thus, 
it  is  forbidden  to  tie  the  feet  of  any  animal 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  inflict  pain  or  to  set 
a  bird  on  eges  that  are  not  of  her  species. 
Not  only  have  we  this  negative  command- 
ment, but  it  is  also  written  that  if  we  see 
a  beast  of  burden  under  too  heavy  a  load, 
it  is  our  duty  to  lighten  it.  According  to 
the  Tannah  Rab  (in  "Berochos,  page  40") 
it  is  incumbent  upon  us  to  feed  first  the 
birds  and  1)cast  l)elonging  to  us,  before  sit- 
ting down  to  our  own  meal.  One  of  the  ten 
commandments,  ordains  a  day  of  rest  for  the 
cattle. 

With  this  protection  for  animals  estab- 
lished, it  is  interesting  to  trace  the  steps 
leading  to  the  use  of  animal  food:  We  have 
on  the  Bible's  authority  (Gen.  chap,  i,  par. 
29),  "God  said  to  Adam,  'Behold  I  have 
given  to  vou  and  to  the  beasts  all  the  fruit 


XIII. 

and  grass  of  the  earth.'  "  And  it  was  not 
until  after  the  flood  when  man  became 
weaker  that  permission  was  given  to  Noah 
to  use  ''every  moving  thing  that  liveth  for 
food,  even  as  the  green  herbs,  have  I  given 
you  all  things."  (Gen.  chap.  9,  par.  3.) 
Later,  at  the  giving  of  the  Law  of  Moses,  we 
have  a  full  set  of  rules  and  regulations,  pre- 
scribing the  exact  method  of  taking  an 
animal's  life  before  using  its  flesh  as  food. 

It  is  amusing  to  note  that  there  are  peo- 
ple who  think  they  may  condemn  these 
rules  and  regulations  of  ours,_  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  in  Deut.  12,  par.  21,  we  find  the 
All  Merciful  One  saying,  "Kill  of  thy  flocks 
as  I  have  commanded  thee."  In  answer  to 
these,  I  would  suggest  their  reading  Dr. 
Isaac  Dembo's  work  on  Shechitah,  the  Jew- 
ish method  of  slaughter,  which  proves  scien- 
tifically, that  the  easiest  death,  is  the  one 
prescribed  by  the  Hebraic  laws. 

That  the  "Mishnah"  and  ''Talmud," 
made  every  efifort  to  instill  in  the  race,  this 
firtue  of  mercy  toward  dumb  creatures,  is 
amply  proven  bv  the  numerous  instructive 


XIV. 

tales  they  contain,  for  instance  the  story  of 
Rabbi  Judah,  the  Prince,  who  compiled  the 
Six  Books  of  the  Mishnah  and  who  ruled 
over  the  Jews  under  authority  conferred  by 
tlie  Roman  Emperor  Antininus  Pius.  The 
Talmud  Bovo  Metzia,  page  85,  tells  it  thus: 
— One  day  as  the  Rabbi  was  out  walking, 
a  young  calf,  that  was  being  led  to  the 
slaughter,  escaped  from  its  master,  and 
sought  protection  beneath  the  Rabbi's  coat. 
The  Rabbi  withdrew  his  cloak  from  the  lit- 
tle creature  and  said,  *'Go,  for  this  purpose 
you  were  born."  Because  of  this  lack  of 
pity,  the  story  goes  on  to  tell,  the  Rabbi  was 
afflicted  with  severe  toothache  from  which 
he  suffered  for  thirteen  years.  The  story  of 
how  he  was  relieved  of  his  pain,  again  illus- 
trates the  importance  of  mercy  toward  our 
dumb  fellows: — Once  as  his  servant  was 
cleaning  house  he  found  a  litter  of  new  born 
kittens  which  he  was  about  to  throw  out 
of  doors,  but  the  Rabbi,  learning  of  his  in- 
tention, stopped  him,  saying,  "Let  them 
stay,  they  are  so  pitifully  young,  the  Lord 
is  good  to  all;  and  his  tender  mercies  are 


XV. 

over  all  his  works."  Then  the  ATost  High 
One,  seeing  that  Rabhi  Jiidah  took  pity  on 
the  tiny  kittens  said,  "Since  he  shows  pity, 
I  will  pity  him  too,  and  relieve  him  of  his 
tormenting  toothache." 

Another  story,  from  the  Midrash  beau- 
tifully illustrates  this  Divine  Love.  For  the 
merciful : — A  rich  man  was  leading  a  splen- 
did bullock  to  be  sacrificed,  while  the  animal 
bellowed  pitifully  and  struggled  at  every 
step.  A  poor  man  passing  by,  noticing  this, 
gave  the  animal  a  bundle  of  sweet  grass  that 
be  was  carrying  and  thus  quieted  it.  That 
night  the  rich  man  had  a  dream  in  which  he 
heard  the  Most  Holy  One  saying,  "Behold, 
the  poor  man's  small  bundle  of  grass  has 
reached  me  before  your  expensive  sacrifice." 

Laws  Concerning  Honor  Due  to  Parents: 

The  fifth  commandment  teaches  us  to 
honor  our  parents;  according  to  the  "Shul- 
chan  Aruch"  this  means  we  must  honor 
them  while  alive  and  even  after  death.  This 
we  can  do  by  performing  good  deeds  and 
by  following  the  path  of  virtue  they  have 


XVI. 

marked  out  for  us.  They  who  do  thus, 
honor  their  parents  not  only  here  among 
men  but  in  the  world  to  come  they  inherit 
the  throne  of  glory.  Of  these  God  says,  "I 
regard  them  as  though  I  dwelt  among  them 
and  they  honored  Me." 

Whoever  puts  his  father  or  mother  to 
shame  even  if  only  by  words  or  by  looks,  is 
counted  among  those  whom  the  Omnipotent 
has  cursed,  for  it  is  said,  "Cursed  be  he  that 
treateth  lightly  his  father  or  mother." 

Charity : 

It  is  a  positive  commandment  to  give 
alms  to  the  poor,  be  he  Jew  or  Non-Jew  for 
it  is  said,  "Thou  shalt  open  thine  hand  wide 
unto  him,"  also  "Thou  shalt  not  harden 
thine  heart,  nor  shut  thine  hand  from  thy 
poor  brother." 

Maimonides  says  in  the  tenth  chapter  of 
"Laws  regarding  Gifts  to  the  Poor,"  It  is 
our  duty  to  exercise  more  care  in  the  ob- 
servance of  this  commandment  of  charity, 
than  in  the  observance  of  any  other,  for 
charity  is  the  trait  whereby  the  righteous 


XVII. 

are  recognized  as  being  of  the  seed  of  our 
Father  Abraham.  It  is  only  through  the  ex- 
ercise of  charity  that  the  throne  of  Israel 
will  be  established  and  the  true  religion 
maintained  for  it  is  said,  ''Through  charity 
shalt  thou  be  established,  O  Zion,  yea,  Israel 
will  be  redeemed  only  through  charity." 

No  one  will  ever  become  impoverished 
by  practicing  charity,  nor  will  any  evil  or 
damage  result  from  its  practice  for  "the 
work  of  charity  shall  be  peace."  All  Israel 
and  those  who  are  joined  unto  them  should 
be  like  brothers,  for  it  is  said  by  the  Prophet 
Malachi,  "Ye  are  children  of  the  Lord,  your 
God,  and  thus  if  a  brother  have  not  compas- 
sion upon  a  brother,  who  will?"  The  poor 
of  Israel  lift  up  their  eyes  to  their  brethren 
alone.  If  one  is  cruel  and  merciless  it  is  to 
be  apprehended  that  his  lineage  is  Non- 
Jewish,  as  cruelty  is  not  characteristic  of  the 
Jewish  race. 

One  must  exercise  the  utmost  care  not 
to  infringe  upon  this  commandment  of 
charity,  as  by  its  violation,  he  may  be  guilty 
of  bloodshed  in   causing  the  death   of  the 


XVIII. 

poor  supplicant  in  not  giving  him  "immediate 
relief. 

But  he  who  faithfully  performs  this 
mitzva  of  charity  which  is  of  such  import- 
ance shall  be  protected  from  calamity  and 
death.  The  Talmudists  seek  to  impress 
upon  us  its  beneficent  results  by  the  follow- 
ing stories: — 

Mar  Samuel  the  Jew  and  Ablat,  the 
Gentile,  both  sages  and  astrologers  of  Baby- 
lonia, were  engaged  in  conversation  one 
day,  when  a  field  laborer  passed  by.  "Seest 
that  man,"  said  Ablat,  "A  snake  will  bite 
him  and  he  will  not  live  to  return."  "That 
may  be  what  the  stars  tell  you,"  replied 
Samuel,  "but  if  he  be  a  righteous  and  God- 
fearing man,  he  may  return." 

With  the  end  of  the  day,  came  the  lab- 
orer, homeward  bound.  The  sages  ex- 
changed glances,  and  Ablat  approaching  the 
man,  took  from  his  shoulder  a  bundle  of 
grass.  Scattering  it  upon  the  ground  he 
exposed  to  his  surprised  gaze  a  poisonous 
snake  cut  in  two. 


XIX. 

Then  Samuel  addressed  the  man  and 
asked  him,  to  relate  the  deed  of  charity  he 
had  performed,  that  had  changed  his  fate 
that  day.  After  a  moment's  hesitation,  the 
man  answered,  that  at  noon  time,  when  each 
brought  his  lunch  to  the  general  board,  that 
all  might  share  alike,  he  had  divided  his 
lunch  and  given  half  to  one  poor  fellow,  that 
he  too  might  bring  a  portion  to  the  general 
board  and  thus  eat  without  shame. 

Rabbi  Akiba,-  Ben  Joseph  was  sad,  for 
the  stars  foretold  that  on  the  eve  of  her 
weddmg  day,  his  daughter  would  die  of  the 
bite  of  a  poisonous  snake.  However,  he  kept 
this  knowledge  to  himself  and  with  anxious 
heart  awaited  the  marriage. 

The  ceremony  passed  most  happily,  and 
next  morning  the  Rabbi  hastened  to  pay  his 
daughter  an  early  visit  to  quiet  the  forebod- 
ings of  a  sleepless  night.  Imagine  his  de- 
light and  wonder  when  he  beheld  his  child 
alive  and  unharmed  and  carrying  in  her 
hand  a  large  hair  pin,  from  which  dangled 
a  poisonous  snake,  pierced  through  the  eyes 


XX. 

and  head.  She  told  her  father,  that  on  re- 
tiring the  previous  night,  she  had  removed 
this  pin  from  her  hair  and  stuck  it  in  the 
wall  of  her  room  for  safe  keeping,  and,  that 
on  withdrawing  it  ;n  the  morning  she  found 
the  snake  thus  impaled. 

Rabbi  Akiba  now  told  his  daughter  all 
he  had  foreseen,  and  being  curious  to  know 
what  saved  her  from  such  a  fate  questioned 
her  as  to  what  charitable  deed  she  had  lately 
performed.  She  replied,  that  at  the  mar- 
riage feast  she  had  noticed  a  poor,  old,  hun- 
gry man  who  stood  alone  near  the  door,  and 
as  the  servants  were  occupied,  no  one  paid 
any  attention  to  him.  She  therefore  took 
the  portion  set'  before  her,  carried  it  over 
to  the  old  man  and  made  him  welcome. 

On  hearing  this,  the  Rabbi  cried  out 
joyously,  "Now  I  see  that  Charity  saveth 
from  Death,"  and  he  went  out  to  impress 
this  lesson  upon  his  disciples. 

Lending : 

It  is  one  of  the  positive  commandments 
of  the  Torah  to  lend  to  the  poor  man  cither 


XXI. 

money  or  implements,  in  order  to  relieve 
him  of  his  poverty,  or  to  enlarge  his  posses- 
sions. This  commandment  also  includes 
lending  for  a  short  time  to  a  rich  man  who 
is  temporarily  embarassed.  However  if 
both  a  poor  and  a  rich  man  request  a  loan 
of  money  or  implements  the  poor  man  should 
take  precedence. 

Everyone  should  carry  out  this  com- 
mandment to  the  full  extent  of  his  means, 
just  as  one  should  do  all  that  lies  in  his 
power  for  the  welfare  of  his  fellowmen,  and 
there  is  no  limit  to  the  length  of  time  to  be 
given  for  the  payment  of  a  loan,  but  each 
according  to  his  ability. 

This  commandment  to  practice  benevo- 
lence is  obligatory  toward  friend  and  foe 
alike,  with  this  distinction  however,  that  if 
a  man  hate  one  unjustly,  he  must  give  him 
precedence  even  over  a  friend  so  that  he  may 
suppress   his  evil   inclination. 


XXII. 

Hospitality: 

'Tis  now  some  3600  years  since  our 
Father  Abraham  taught  us  by  example,  the 
virtue  of  hospitality.  Later,  Job  boasts 
that,  "In  the  street  a  stranger  had  not  to 
lodge,  my  doors  I  held  open  to  the  way- 
farer." And  we,  the  descendants  of  Abra- 
ham, are  in  duty  bound  to  follow  his  ex- 
ample. 

When  the  stranger  comes  to  your 
house,  make  him  welcome,  offer  him  food 
first,  for  he  may  be  ashamed  to  ask  for  it. 

The  reward  for  fulfiling  this  "mitzvah" 
is  indeed  great  for  it  is  one  of  those  things, 
the  benefit  of  which  one  enjoys  in  this 
world,  while  the  substance  remains  for  him 
for  the  world  to  come,  viz: — 

Honoring  father  and  mother;  bringing 
up  one's  children  according  to  the  Holy 
Torah  ;  hospitality;  visiting  the  sick;  dow- 
ering a  bride;  and  making  peace  between 
man  and  his  fellow-man. 

During  the  existence  of  our  Holy 
Temple,  it  was  customary  to  offer  sacrifice 


XXIII. 

on  the  altar,  in  expiation  for  unintentional 
sins.  Now  that  we  can  no  longer  do  this, 
the  spreading-  one's  table  for  the  poor  is  re- 
garded as  such  sacrifice  on  the  altar.  And 
of  all  the  poor,  whom  one  may  thus  aid,  the 
aid  given  to  the  poor  man  of  learning,  stands 
highest,  for  it  is  to  learning  and  enlighten- 
ment that  we  look  for  prosperity  and  bless- 
ing in  the  future. 


Circumcision: 

It  is  a  positive  commandment  that  a 
father  shall  circumcise  his  son,  or  that  he 
shall  appoint  another  Israelite  to  act  as  his 
agent  therein,  one  who  possesses  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  laws  of  circumcision  and  is  an 
adept  in  performing  the  operation. 

The  circumcision  shall  not  be  performed 
until  sunrise  of  the  eighth  day  after  the 
cliild's  birth,  that  entire  day,  being  the 
proper  time  for  its  performance,  even  if  the 
eighth  day  be  a  Sabbath  or  the  Day  of  Atone- 
ment. 


XXIV. 

One  should  be  scrupulous  in  his  choice 
of  a  "iMohel"  and  a  "Sandik,"  who  should  be 
the  best  and  most  righteous  men  whom  it  is 
possible  to  obtain.  It  is  the  duty  of  the 
"Mohel"  to  thoroughly  examine  the  infant 
previous  to  the  circumcision  to  ascertain 
whether  there  be  any  danger  to  its  life  by 
the  present  performance  of  the  operation.  If 
the  child  be  not  in  perfect  condition  the 
circumcision  must  be  postponed  till  such 
future  time,  when  the  infant  is  restored  to 
health.  The  child's  health  is  the  only  ex- 
cusable reason  for  delay  in  the  performance 
of  this  commandment. 

In  cases  of  postponement  the  new  date 
for  the  circumcision  must  not  fall  on  a  Sab- 
bath or  Holiday. 

Laws    Concerning    the    Redemption    of    the 
First-Born: 

It  devolves  upon  every  Israelite  to  re- 
deem his  son,  who  is  his  mother's  first-born, 
from  the  pD  (cohen)  by  giving  him  five 
shekels  or  their  equivalent  in  silver  or  gold 
Oi-  the  coin  of  the  land  or  any  other  property 


XXV. 

the  value  of  which  should  equal  2  2/3 
ounces  of  refined  silver.  The  father  and 
"cohen"  being  fully  agreed  upon  the  latter's 
absolute  right  to  that  money  as  the  price  of 
his  son's  redemption ;  but  if  the  "cohen" 
should  later  return  that  money  or  property 
to  the  father  as  a  gift,  the  father  is  permit- 
ted to  accept  it. 

The  first-born  should  not  be  redeemed 
before  the  31st  day  from  his  birth,  but  if  that 
day  fall  upon  a  Sabbath  or  Holiday,  or  some 
hindrance  prevent  the  ceremony,  it  is  pre- 
mitted  to  postpone  the  redemption  till  the 
following  day. 

Laws   of  the  "Mezuzah" : 

It  is  commanded  in  Deuteronomy  II,  to 
fasten  Mezuzos  at  all  door  posts  in  every 
exit.  Before  affixing  the  Mezuzah  one  shall 
pronounce  the  following  benediction: 

"Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe  who  hast  commanded  us  to 


XXVI. 

affix  the  IMezuzah."     One  blessing  is  suffi- 
cient for  the  a'ffixing  of  all  Mezuzos. 

An  entrance  without  a  door,  or  with  a 
folding  door  requires  a  ^Iczuzah,  but  no 
blessing  is  said  before  its  affixing. 

The  Mezuzah  should  be  placed  within 
the  uppermost  third  of  the  right  doori)ost  at 
the  entrance. 

It  is  incumbent  upon  everyone  to  be 
particularly  careful  when  selecting  "Mezu- 
zos"  or  "Tephillin"  to  see  that  they  are 
"Kosher,"  i.  e.,  properly  written,  for  other- 
wise it  would  be  sinful  to  say  the  blessing 
upon  them.  (Most  stores  sell  them  very 
cheap  but  they  are  "Posul,"  worthless.) 

Long  life  to  themselves  and  their  decen- 
dants,  is  promised  by  the  Scripture  as  the 
reward  of  those,  who  are  zealous  in  fulfilling 
this  commandment. 


XXVII 

LAWS  FOR  PURIFYING  UTENSILS. 

(n'?y:n) 

Earthen  vessels  that  have  been  used  for 
leaven  (  }*on  )  can  under  no  conditions  be 
made  fit  for  Passover  use. 

All  other  vessels,  whether  of  v^ood,  metal, 
agate,  or  aluminum,  (if  the  glazing  be  not 
cracked  or  crumbled  off)  may  be  made  fit 
for  Passover  use  by  purifying;  that  is  by 
proper  ritual  purification.  Stone  and  bone 
vessels  may  also  be  purified  provided  they 
are  so  made  that  hot  water  wijl  not  damage 
them.  Therefore  a  vessel  glued  together  at 
any  part,  handle,  knob,  etc.,  is  not  fit  to  be 
purified. 

Before  a  vessel  is  purified  it  should  be 
thoroughly  cleaned  from  rust  and  dirt;  but 
stains  do  not  matter  if  they  cannot  be  re- 
moved. 

The  handles  and  covers  of  vessels  must 
be  purified  in  the  same  way  as  the  vessels 
themselves. 

It  is  customary  to  wait  twenty-four  hours 
after  using  a  vessel  before  such  vessel  is 


XXVIII 

purified.  No  other  liquid  except  boiling 
hot  water  is  used  for  purifying. 

The  vessels,  knives,  forks,  spoons,  or  any 
other  utensils  that  are  made  fit  for  purify- 
ing should  be  immersed  in  a  larger  vessel 
of  boiling  water.  The  water  must  be  kept 
over  the  fire  boiling  all  the  time  the  uten- 
sils are  dipped.  After  this  immersion  they 
must  be  rinsed  with  cold  water.  The  pot 
in  which  the  purifying  is  done,  or  any  large 
utensil,  may  be  purified  by  keeping  it  full 
of  boiling  water  for  a  while  and  then  drop- 
ping into  it  a  red  hot  piece  of  coal  or  iron 
so  that  the  boiling  water  may  run  over  the 
sides.  Then  it  should  be  rinsed  with  cold 
water  as  before  said.  It  is  advisable  to  do 
this  purifying  before  noon  on  Erev  Pass- 
over. 

New  vessels  of  metal  or  glass  should  be 
immersed  in  a  "Mikveh"  or  running  stream 
and  the  following  blessing  said:  ''Blessed 
art  Thou  O  Lord,  Our  God,  King  of  the 
Universe,  who  hast  sanctified  us  by  thy 
commandments,  and  commanded  us  to  ob- 
serve the  immersion  of  vessels." 

vniXDn  iJti^np  ^'^'^  nbr;n  "jb^  irnb^  '^  nnx  inn 


XXIX 

Time  of  Searching  Leaven  (j^On  fip^'^i) 
and  Rejecting  Ownership  of  Same. 

On  the  eve  of  the  fourteenth  of  Nissan,  as 
soon  as  stars  appear,  the  head  of  the  house 
or  the  housewife  must  search  for  leaven  and 
reject  ownership  of  same.  (}'  0  H  p  1 1  i) 
One  half  hour  before  this  ceremony  one 
may  not  sit  down  to  a  meal ;  and  for  fifteen 
minutes  before,  one  is  not  even  allowed  to 
study  Torah.  But  he,  who  at  this  hour  al- 
ways reads  the  night  service,  may  read  his 
service    before     he     searches     for     leaven. 

(pn  pnu) 

Should  one  forget  to  perform  the  above 
ceremony  at  night,  he  must  do  it  in  the 
morning  before  breakfast. 

Before  one  begins  to  search  for  leaven 
every  room  in  the  house  must  be  swept  and 
the  following  blessing  is  said:  "Blessed  art 
Thou,  O  Lord,  our  God,  King  of  the  Uni- 
verse, who  hast  sanctified  us  with  thy  com- 
mandments, and  commanded  us  to  remove 
the  leaven." 

There  should  be  no  interruption  between 


•  XXX 

the  blessing  and  the  search.  The  one  bless- 
ing is  sufficient  for  searching  all  the  rooms 
of  the  house. 

Previous  to  the  search,  it  is  customary 
to  place  hard  pieces  of  leaven  in  guarded 
places  (v^^here  children  or  mice  may  not 
take  them)  in  order  that  the  searcher  may 
find  them. 

The  searching  must  be  done  by  the  light 
of  one  candle.  Even  if  the  searching  is 
done  in  the  morning,  it  must  be  done  not 
by  sunlight  but  by  the  light  of  one  candle. 

One  must  search  all  places  where  leaven 
is  likely  to  be  brought  in,  hence  all  rooms, 
stores  w^here  food  is  partaken  of,  cellars, 
wood  and  coal  bins  where  a  servant  may 
have  entered  with  bread  in  his  hand,  re- 
quire searching. 

Pockets  and  gloves  should  be  searched. 

Immediately  after  the  searching  the  for- 
mula of  annulment  (  X^'^On  'Pi)  is  recited 
in  whatever  language  one  understands: 
"ALL  leaven  or  leavened  dough  that  is  in 
my  possession  which  I  have  not  seen  or 
removed  shall  be  null  and  accounted  as  the 
dust  of  the  earth." 


XXXI 

To  Rid  the  House  of  Leaven. 

Wearing  apparel  that  needs  starching 
cannot  be  used  during  passover  unless  it 
was  starched  thirty  days  before  Passover. 

Bread  troughs  in  which  leaven  is  kneaded, 
also  vessels  in  which  flour  and  leaven  are 
kept  the  entire  year  cannot  be  thoroughly 
cleaned  and  it  is  therefore  necessary  to 
pack  them  away  during  Passover,  and  sell 
them  according  to  the  law  of  selling  leaven. 
All  such  utensils,  and  all  foods,  preserves, 
drinks,  etc.  that  are  (|*Dn)  and  that  one 
does  not  wish  to  destroy,  must  be  sold  to  a 
non-Jew  or  handed  over  to  a  Rabbi  to  be 
sold  according  to  the  law. 


Law  Concerning  Leaven  on  Erev  Passover. 

On  Erev  Passover  (fourteenth  of  Nissan) 
one  may  eat  leaven  up  to  the  fourth  hour, 
i.  e.,  a  third  of  the  day  if  the  day  is  twelve 
hours  long.  In  this  city  it  would  be  till 
about  9  a.  m. 

The  length  of  the  day  is  divided  into 
twelve  parts  and  is  reckoned  from  the  first 


XXXII 

appearance  of  light  in  the  east,  till  the  ap- 
pearance of  stars  in  the  evening.  Hence  if 
the  length  of  the  day  is  fifteen  hours,  it  is 
permissible  to  eat  until  the  fifth  hour  of  the 
day,  counting  from  the  first  appearance  of 
light  in  the  East. 

The  fourth  hour  of  the  day  it  is  forbidden 
to  eat  leaven,  but  one  may  handle  it  for 
other  purposes;  for  instance  to  feed  an' 
imals,  or  sell  to  a  non-Jew,  the  entire  fourth 
hour,  when  the  day  is  twelve  hours  long.  If 
the  length  of  the  day  is  fifteen  hours  one 
is  required  to  sell  the  leaven  before  an  hour 
and  a  quarter  preceding  noon. 

At  ten  o'clock  a.  m.  all  manner  of  leaven 
must  be  removed.  And  together  with  that 
which  was  searched  for  the  preceding  even- 
ing must  be  burned;  and  he  who  searched 
the  leaven  must  say:  "All  manner  of  leaven 
that  is  in  my  possession,  which  I  have  seen 
and  which  I  have  not  seen;  which  I  have 
removed  and  have  not  removed,  shall  be  null 
and  accounted  as  the  dust  of  the  earth." 


XXXIII 
When  Erev  Passover  Falls  on  a  Sabbath. 

If  the  fourteenth  of  Nissan  falls  on  a 
Sabbath,  the  searching  of  leaven  should  take 
place  on  the  eve  of  the  thirteenth  of  Nissan 
(on  Thursday  night)  and  the  blessings 
(}*on  ^^V'^  ^V)  and  («n^Dn  b:^)  are 
said  as  usual.  The  (  fDH  )  is  then  burned 
on  Friday  noon;  only  sufficient  food  is  now 
left  for  Friday  night  and  Sabbath  morning 
till  9  a.  m.  Whatever  is  now  left  should  be 
removed  from  the  house,  and  the(  XTDH  b^) 
annulment  formula  said.  The  third 
meal  for  the  Sabbath  afternoon  should  con- 
sist of  fruit,  fish  or  meat.  For  this  Sabbath 
one  should  be  careful  to  use  in  cooking  no 
flour,  barley,  or  other  Cf^n) 


Laws  Concerning  the  Seder  Nights. 

Every  Israelite  is  required  to  eat;  first, 
Matza  at  least  the  size  of  half  an  egg,  on 
the  first  two  nights  of  Passover,  according 
to  the  commandment  of  the  Torah.  Bitter 
herbs  the  size  of  an  olive,  according  to  the 
law  of  the  Rabbis.  The  bitter  herbs  used, 
are    generally    horse-raddish    and    lettuce. 


XXXIV 

The  latter  is  preferable  because  horse- 
raddish  the  size  of  an  olive  may  be  injurious 
on  account  of  its  extreme  bitterness. 

"Charoseth"  is  made  of  the  following  in- 
gredients: nuts,  almonds,  apples,  cinnamon, 
and  ginger.  The  mixture  must  be  thick, 
resembling  and  symbolizing  the  mortar, 
made  by  the  Isralites  in  Egyptian  bondage. 

On  each  Seder  night  one  should  drink 
four  cups,  according  to  the  Seder  service. 
Each  cup  should  contain  a  quantity  of 
liquid  equal  to  one  and  one-half  eggs  at 
least.  At  each  drink  one  should  take  more 
than  half  a  cup.  The  drink  to  be  used  may 
be  v^ine,  mead,  cider  or  licorice-root  water. 

It  is  customary  to  place  on  the  seder  dish 
beside  the  Matza  and  egg,  a  shank  bone, 
bitter  herbs,  and  Charoseth.  The  egg  and 
the  shank  bone  should  be  roasted  before 
dark  on  Erev  Passover. 

Every  Israelite  is  obliged,  according  to 
the  Torah,  to  relate  the  events  of  the  Exo- 
dus from  Egypt;  the  first  night  by  Biblical 
Command  and  the  second  night  by  Rabbi- 
cinical  authority. 


XXXV 

All  the  above  laws  and  those  which  are 
performed  on  the  two  seder  nights,  viz; 
eating  matza,  bitter  herbs,  drinking  four 
cups  of  wine  or  other  proper  beverage,  and 
relating  the  events  of  the  Exodus  from 
Egypt,  are  encumbent  upon  women  just  as 
well  as  upon  men.  Hence  both  or  either, 
are  in  duty  bound  to  ascertain  which  matza, 
wine,  brandy,  etc.,  is  "Kosher"  and  proper 
to  use  for  Passover. 

One  more  point  I  would  like  to  make 
clear.  Here  in  America  we  spend  so  much 
money  in  our  attempt  to  make  our  Passover 
complete;  we  buy  matza,  wine,  brandy, 
sugar,  etc.,  that  is  marked  by  a  "Hecksher" 
and  think  in  our  ignorance  that  we  have 
done  our  duty.  It  is  not  sufficient  that  we 
look  for  the  "Hechsher"  and  even  find  it 
signed  by  the  proper  authority.  It  is  en- 
cumbent upon  every  buyer  to  know  the 
character  and  reputation  of  the  person 
using  that  ''hechsher."  The  man  we  deal 
with  for  Kosher  meat,  or  for  food  for 
Passover,  must  be  one  who  keeps  the  Sab- 
bath and  has  the  reputation  of  a  pious 
Israelite. 


Religious  Duties 


of  the 


Daughters  of   Israel. 


The  Three  Host  Important  Duties 


VIZ. 


NIDDAH,  CHALLAH,  HADLAKAH. 


-«- 


We  have  also  added  l-aws  concerning  the  Salting 

of  neat,  Prayers,  rieditations  and  Duties  for 

Parents  in  training  Children. 


-«- 


Compiled  and  revised  from  authoritative  lources 
by 

Rabbi   ABRAHAM   E.    HIRSCHOWITZ. 

Eabbi  of  Cong.  "Sons  of  Israel",  Anshei  Kalwarier, 

New  York, 

formerly  of  Melbourne,  Australia. 


PREFACE  TO  THIRD  EDITION  OF 
RELIGIOUS  DUTIES  1917. 


(Exodus,  chap,  xix  v.  3)  The  Lord  called 
unto  Moses  saying:  "Thus  shalt  thou  say 
to  the  house  of  Jacob  and  tell  the  children 
of  Israel."  In  the  above  verse  the  Midrash 
explains  that  the  "House  of  Jacob"  refers 
to  the  women,  and  the  "Children  of  Israel" 
to  the  men.  There  are  several  reasons  for 
mentioning  the  women  first : — one  is  that 
women  are  more  anxious  to  do  a  mitzvah; 
another,  that  upon  them  is  the  duty  of  con- 
ducting the  homes  according  to  the  Torah, 
and  of  teaching  their  young  ones  its  holy 
laws  and  commandments.  Rabbi  Tachlifoh 
of  Caesarea  tells  this  amusing  little  tale  to 
emphasize  the  necessity  of  putting  our 
women  first.  "When  the  Lord  created 
Adam  and  Eve  he  gave  his  commands  to 
Adam.  Eve,  feeling  slighted  in  not  being 
told  personally,  disobeyed  and  caused  Adam 
to  disobey."  Therefore  when  giving  the 
Torah  the  Lord  sent  Moses  to  tell  the 
women  first,  for  fear  they  might  spoil  mat- 
ters and  again  cause  the  men  to  disobey. 


B 

The  Midrash  delights  to  honor  our  women 
for  they  have  always  been  worthy  of  honor. 
Let  us  look  back  at  our  people  in  Egypt. 
(Ezekiel,  chap.  20  v.  7  and  8.)  'The  men 
rebelled  against  the  Lord;  they  defiled 
themselves  and  turned  to  the  idols  of 
Egypt.'  They  were  punished  therefore  by 
being  enslaved.  It  was  the  women  then, 
true  mothers  of  Israel,  who  helped  redeem 
them  by  keeping  alive  their  faith  in  God 
and  by  strengthening  their  men  to  look  for- 
ward to  freedom  and  the  right  to  exercise 
the  religion  of  their  forefathers.  The  his- 
tory of  this  period  is  epitomized  by  the  story 
of  Yocheved  to  save  alive  her  child  Moses. 
For  three  months  the  mother  kept  him  hid- 
den at  home.  When  the  child  was  no  lon- 
ger safe  from  detection  there,  she  was 
forced  to  leave  him  in  a  little  ark  among  the 
bullrushes.  'Tis  not  hard  to  imagine  the 
agony  of  that  mother.  She  left  him  with 
this  prayer:  "I  have  done  all  in  my  power; 
O  Lord,  show  thy  kindness  and  shelter  him 
under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings.  Thrust 
down  the  workers  of  wickedness  and  save 
my  child."     Miriam,   the   sister   of   Moses, 


was  left  to  watch  the  baby.  She,  being  a 
true  believer  and  prophetess,  saw  clearly 
that  the  child  would  be  the  one  to  bring 
freedom  to  our  people  and  light  to  the  whole 
world. 

Further  along  in  history  we  come  to  Han- 
nah who  was  childless.  The  Medrash  tell 
she  prayed  thus:  'Thou  O  Lord  who  hast 
created  and  boldest  so  large  a  universe,  so 
full  of  all  sorts  of  living  creatures,  will  you 
not  give  me  a  child?  Are  you  then  like  a 
king  who  makes  a  fine  banquet  of  rich 
foods  in  great  abundance  and  whose  ser- 
vants refuse  one  morsel  to  the  poor  beggar 
who  knocks  at  his  gate?  If  the  poor  man 
could  reach  the  king  personally  would  he 
then  be  sent  off  empty  handed?"  Then  she 
wept  before  the  Lord  and  said:  "Give  me  a 
son,  a  man  among  men,  a  man  to  rank  with 
Moses  and  Aaron."  She  saw  that  her  peo- 
ple could  live  and  become  great  only  by 
bringing  forth  a  generation  dedicated  to 
enlightenment,  to  a  love  for  truth  and  pure 
religion.  She  promised  to  dedicate  her  son 
to  this  task,  and  at  the  tender  age  of  three 
years  brought  him  to  Eli,  the  Chief  priest 


D 

of   Shiloh,   to   be   prepared   for   his    future 
career. 

Let  us  now  take  a  look  at  our  own  time. 
Our  men  are  so  driven  by  the  struggle  for 
existence  that  the  duty  of  leading  the  chil- 
dren in  the  proper  path  falls  to  the  woman's 
share.  Are  the  Jewish  daughters  of  today 
ready  to  undertake  this  task,  so  important 
at  this  critical  period  of  our  history?  With 
the  centers  of  Jewish  learning  being  swept 
away  in  Russia  and  Poland,  with  the  chil- 
dren learning  to  think  in  a  language  foreign 
to  their  parents,  with  education  provided 
by  the  public  schools,  it  is  the  English 
speaking  mothers  to  whom  we  must  turn 
to  give  their  children  the  beginning  of  re- 
ligrious  instruction.  For  these  women  I  have 
written  this  little  book  that  they  may  pre- 
pare themselves  to  the  great  task  before 
them.  They  must  be  imbued  with  a  love 
for  their  religion  and  their  people  so  great 
that  they  take  upon  themselves  to  obey 
conscientiously  the  duties  here  set  forth. 
That  by  example  and  precept  they  teach 
their    children    the    enlightenment    of    our 


E 

Torah  and  its  innate  love  of  truth  and 
God. 

*)  More  the  parents  must  do.  They  must 
give  their  unborn  children  the  proper  chance 
for  greatness.  Present  day  science  corrob- 
orates this  which  Nachmanides,  old  doctor 
and  sage,  points  out  in  the  Bible.  (Psalms 
58  V.  I :  The  wricked  are  estranged  from 
goodness  from  the  womb.  Those  who  speak 
lies  go  astray  from  their  birth."  Again, 
(Jeremiah  chap,  i,  v.  5)  :  "Before  yet  I  had 
formed  thee  in  thy  mother's  body,  I  knew 
thee;  and  before  thou  wast  yet  come 
out  of  the  womb  I  sanctified  thee."  There- 
fore, mothers  of  Israel,  awake  to  your 
duties;  keep  alive  the  spirit  of  Miriam  and 
of  Hannah;  let  your  first  aim  be  a  progeny, 
living  and  healthy;  children  who  by  living 
worthily  may  prove  the  greatness  of  their 
Creator  and  hasten  the  time,  when  the  Lord 
will  fullfill  unto  us  the  promise  he  gave  to 
Abraham  (Genesis  chap,  xviii  v.  18). 

"Abraham  shall  surely  become  a  great 
and  mighty  nation  and  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  shall  be  blessed  in  him."* 


•)  See  Psalma  chap.  139.  v.  Ifi.     Talmud,  Niddah,  page  32,  line  80—36. 


HADLAKAH 


CHAPTER  I. 


On  lightincr  the  cx7idles   in  honor  of  Sabbaths 
and  Festivals. 

I. — It  is  a  very  sacred  duty  and  a  mode 
of  honoring  Sabbaths  and  Festivals,  to  light 
candles  in  every  room  on  the  eve  of  those 
holy  days,  and  this  duty  is  primarily  binding 
rn  the  Jewish  housewife.  Should  she,  how- 
ever be  prevented  from  performing  it.  for  in- 
stance, by  illness,  or  any  other  cause,  this  duty 
devolves  upon  her  husband.  She  should  be 
careful  to  use  the  best  material  for  the  Sabbath 
and  Festival  lights.  It  is,  however  the  duty 
of  the  husband  to  have  the  lamps  or  candles 
prepared  and  ready  for  his  wife  to  light  them. 
Olive  oil  is  preferable  to  any  other  material  for 


—     4     — 

Sabbaths  and  Festivals,  but  if  this  cannot  easily 
be  employed,  wax  candles  should  be  used  in 
preference  to  any  other. 

2. — One  candle  should  at  least  be  lighted 
in  every  room  in  honor  of  the  Sabbath  or 
Festival,  Some  persons  use  two  lights. 

(It  is  the  rule  among  pious  women,  who 
happen  inadvertently  to  have  lighted  one  can- 
dle less  than  they  are  accustomed  to,  that  they 
light  in  future  an  extra  candle ;  for  instance,  if 
she  used  to  light  two  candles  and  lighted  only 
one,  then  in  future,  she  lights  three,  and  so 
forth.) 

3. — Every  Jewish  housewife  should  be 
very  careful  to  light  the  candles  at  the  proper 
time,  especially  during  the  winter  season, 
for  then  the  days  being  short,  a  profanation  of 
the  Sabbath  might  readily  occur  by  lighting 
the  candles  too  late.  In  fact,  the  lamps  or  can- 
dles should  always  be  lighted  before  sunset 
at  the  latest.  It  is  right  and  proper  for  every 
housewife  to  wash  and  dress  herself  in  honor 
of  the  Sabbath  before  she  lights  the  candles 
or  lamps,  Should  it,  however,  be  too  late  for 
her  to  do  so  before  sunset,  she  must  at  once 


—     5     — 

light    the     candles    or    lamps    without    this 
preparation. 

4. — As  soon  as  she  has  Hghted  the  Sabbath 
or  Festival  lamps  or  candles,  she  is  no  longer 
permitted  to  do  any  work  which  is  prohibited 
on  those  days,  even  if  it  be  still  daylight,  be- 
cause, by  lighting  the  candles  or  lamps,  she 
has  taken  upon  herself  the  observance  of  the 
Sabbath.  It  is,  therefore,  advisable  that  she 
should  bear  in  mind  that  she  does  not  intend 
by  this  act  to  commence  the  Sabbath,  if  it  be 
still  before  sunset.  The  candles  or  lamps  should 
be  lighted  in  the  place  where  they  are  to  stand 
for  use  on  the  eve  of  Sabbath  and  Festivals. 

5. — The  blessings  to  be  said  at  the  light- 
ing of  the  candles  (two  at  least  being  used)  or 
lamps  is  as  follows: 

For  the  Sabbath  Say: 

ENGI.ISH  IIKBREW 

Blessed  art  Thou,  O     UM^.S  "•'  nns  Jiin 

Lord  our  God,  King  of    ircHp  i^TN  nbr;n  1^:2 

the    universe  who   has     p^hinb    IJI^'T    Vm:i02 
sanctified    us    by    Thy  ,r\2\i^  h^  12 

commandments  and   commanded  us  to  kindle 
the  Sabbath  light. 


—    6     ^ 

On  Festivals  say: 

ENGLISH  HEBRE'V* 

Blessed  art  Thou,  O     im'^S  ''^  nn«  "jll:* 
Lord  our  God,  King  of    irrnp  nD\S  ubvjri  ']bD 
the  universe,  who  hast     p^b^^nb    l^l^fl    Vni"i;!33 
sanctified    us    by    Thy     on  Sabb.  add:)  bZ'  "li 
commandments  and  hast  2*1^  DV  ( /D*"!  r\2^ 

commanded  us  to  kindle  (on  Friday  add:  the 
Sabbath  and)  the  Festival  light. 

On  the  eve  of  the  Day  of  Atonement  say  : 

Blessed  art  Thou,  O  im^S  ^'  nrs  "|112 
Lord  our  God,  King  of  ^}Znp  n5^\S*  □'?v;n  ']bt2 
the  universe  who  hast  p''b'{r\b  i:i^"l  rr\')'SD2 
sanctified  us  by  Thy  on  Sabb.  add:)  b^L/^  13 
commandments  and  hast  .DmD2n  DV  C^'lTI  n3^ 
commanded  us  to  kindle  the  light  of  the  (Sab- 
bath and  the)  Day  of  Atonement. 

The  following  blessing  is  also  said  on  light- 
ing the  candles  in  honor  of  the  Festival  and 
the  Day  of  Atonement  : 

"Blessed    art    Thou,     im'PkS  ''^  nns  J\'l2 

Lord  God,  who  hast  irnnt:*  D^r;-  "jbit: 
preserved  us  alive,  and  tnin  p^b  I^JT^ini  Ij^i'pi 
sustained  us  and  caused  us  to  arrive  at  this 
season." 


—    7     — 

It  must  also  be  observed  that  some  women 
are  accustomed  to  Hsfht  the  candles  and  then  to 
occupy  themselves  with  other  matters  before 
saying  the  blessing.  This  is  quite  wrong.  The 
blessing  should  be  said  either  before,  or  imme- 
diately after  lighting  the  candles.  The  following 
prayer  should  be  said  by  the  housewife  after 
having  lighted  the  candles  in  honor  of  the 
Sabbath  or  Festival. 

"God  of  Israel !  Thou  art  Holy  and  hast 
sanctified  the  Sabbath  and  Thy  people,  Israel. 
Thou  hast  chosen  the  Sabbath  day  and  appoint- 
ed it  as  a  day  of  rest,  and  hast  commanded  us 
to  light  candles  in  honor  of  and  as  a  sign  of 
rejoicing  on  that  day.  Now,  I,  Thy  handmaid, 
have  in  accordance  with  the  precept  of  our 
sages,  lighted  the  candles  in  order  to  honor 
and  to  sanctify  Thy  name,  Thy  law,  and  Thy 
Sabbath  (or  Festival.)  Almighty  Father,  grant 
that  there  be  no  trouble,  sorrow  or  lamentation 
on  the  day  of  rest  and  repose.  Guard  us  against 
all  misfortune  or  evil  occurences.  Grant  that  my 
children  may  grow  up  learned  in  Thy  law  we 
received  on  Sinai,  and  be  guided  by  its  benign 
light  and  that  they  may  at  all  times  serve  Thee, 


—     8     — 

O  Lord,  with  all  their  heart,  soul,  and  mind. 
May  the  words  of  m)^  mouth  and  the  meditation 
of  my  heart  be  acceptable  in  Thy  sight,  O 
Lord,  my  Rock  and  my  Redeemer." 

{For  other  meditations  see  Index.) 


NIDDAH. 

CHAPTER  L 


0)1  tJi "  commencement  of  the  menstrual  period. 

I. — As  soon  as  a  woman  sees  any  blood, 
even  if  it  be  so  small  a  quantity  as  to  be  scarcely 
discernible,  whether  she  perceived  it  in  the 
usual  way,  or  by  examination,  and  if  this  blood 
be  either  red  or  black,  or  even  of  a  darkish  co- 
lor, approaching  either  red  or  black,  she  must 
at  once  consider  herself  niddah  (menstruous). 
But  if  she  be  in  doubt  whether  it  resembles  red 
or  black,  she  must  have  it  examined  by  some 
j person  authorized  to  decide  upon  such  matters. 
Hut  should  there  be  no  competent  person  for 
her   to    consult,    ^r   if  that   cloth  upon  which 


—     9     — 


the  issue  was  found  be  lost,  then  she  must  con- 
sider herself  unclean  (menstruous)  on  account  of 
that  doubt.  Should,  however,  this  issue  be  en- 
tirely of  a  white,  green,  yellow,  or  light  blue  co- 
lour, and  not  even  the  smallest  speck  be  per- 
ceptible resembling  black  or  red,  then  she  may 
consider  herself  clean. 

2. — If  a  woman  feels  that  opening  of  the 
womb  which  is  customary  at  the  time  of  the 
usual  monthly  discharges,  she  must  at  once  exa- 
mine herself,  and  if  she  find  upon  that  cloth 
which  she  has  used  for  that  purpose,  anything 
(however  small  the  quantity  may  be)  resembling 
the  colour  of  red  or  black,  she  is  at  once 
"niddah"  (unclean.)  Should  this,  however,  be 
either  of  a  white,  green,  yellow,  or  light  blue 
color  without  having  in  it  even  the  smallest 
speck  of  a  reddish  or  blackish  hue,  that  bodily 
sensation  may  be  attributed  to  the  issue,  and 
she  is  therefore  not  "niddah".  But  if  after  exa- 
miningr  herself,  she  finds  no  trace  of  any  color 
whatever  upon  the  cloth,  she  must,  nevertheless 
on  that  account  consider  herself  unclean. 

3. — If  she  has  examined  herself  immedia- 
tely after  she  felt  the  sensation,  but  through 


—     10     — 

some  hindrance  has  not  looked  at  the  cloth  till 
some  time  after,  and  she  finds  no  stain  thereon, 
it  may  be  assumed  that  the  sensation  referred 
to  was  caused  by  some  white  issue  which  had 
at  first  been  on  the  cloth,  but  at  the  mean  time 
had  dried  away  and  was  thus  no  longer  visible. 
She  is,  therefore,  not  "niddah  " 

4. — If  a  woman  finds  a  stain,  red  or  black, 
or  any  color  approaching  red  or  black,  whether 
it  be  on  any  of  her  undergarments  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  navel  or  downwards,  or  on  front  of 
her  sleeve,  and  if  that  stain  be  of  the  size  of  a 
six  penny  piece  or  dime,  she  must  consider 
herself  "niddah."  If  however  the  stain  be 
smaller  than  this  size,  although  there  be  several 
small  spots  found  on  the  cloths,  the  spots  being 
disjoined  so  that  not  one  of  them,  taken  sepa- 
rately, would  be  of  that  size,  then  she  is  not 
"niddah."  But  if  the  spots  are  joined  together 
so  that  if  taken  as  a  whole  they  would  be  of 
the  size  of  above  mentioned,  then  she  is 
"niddah,"  because  the  stain  may  be  of  any 
shape,  so  long  as  the  entire  surface  of  it  would 
be  of  the  stated  size. 

:;. — It  also  does  not  matter  whether  that 


—  11   — 

stain  of  the  stated  size  be  discovered  on  the 
inside  or  the  outside  of  the  underclothing; 
whether  it  be  on  the  fore  or  hinder  part  there- 
of, provided  it  be  found  in  the  direction  of  the 
navel  and  downward,  she  is  "niddah." 

If  the  woman  in  her  household  work,  has 
been  occupied  with  such  things  as  would  leave 
any  stain  on  her  garments,  or  if  she  be  suffering 
from  a  wound  which  would  cause  such  a  stain 
then  she  is  not  "niddah." 

If  however  a  stain  be  found  during  the 
first  three  days  of  the  seven  clean  days,  after 
she  has  put  on  clean  linen  (as  will  be  explained 
later  on),  then  it  must  not  be  ascribed  to  her 
domestic  occupation  or  to  a  wound,  and  she 
must  then  again  change  her  linen,  and  count 
afresh  seven  clean  days.  But  if  a  stain  is  found 
on  her  body,  although  not  of  the  prescribed 
size,  be  it  during  the  above  mentioned  three 
days,  or  at  any  other  time,  she  must  refer  to 
an  outhority  about  it. 

6. — The  laws  mentioned  in  paragraphs 
three  and  four  are  only  applicable  when  those 
stains  are  found  on  such  garments  as  are  v/hite 
or  parti-colored,  provided  that  the  stains   be 


—    12    — 

found  only  on  the  white  part  thereof,  but  if 
that  is  not  the  case  no  notice  need  be  taken  of 
the  stains. 

7, — It  is  to  be  understood,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  that  the  laws  laid  down  in  paragraphs 
three,  four  and  six  that  the  stains  must  be  of 
the  prescribed  size,  refer  to  the  case  when  they 
are  discovered  by  chance  on  the  undergarment, 
or  the  like,  as  mentioned  above,  because  it  is 
not  known  for  a  certainty  whence  the  stain 
proceeds.  But  if  ahything  be  found  by  examin- 
ation (as  mentioned  in  paragraph  one)  be  the 
size  ever  so  small,  or  be  it  found  on  any  color- 
ed cloth  whatever,  then  she  is  in  consequence 
"niddah." 


CHAPTER  11. 


Of  separation  during  the  period  of  '''"niddah!' 

I. — As  soon  as  woman  becomes  "niddah," 
cohabitation  must  cease,  under  penalty  for  both 
husband  and  wife  of  the  Divinely  ordained 
punishment  of  excision,  as  mentioned  in  Levi- 
ticus, ch.  XX,  18,  until  she  has  numbered  seven 
clean  days,  in  accordance*  with  the  prescribed 


—    13    — 

laws  (which  will  be  stated  further  in  chapter 
three),  and  undergone  ablution  in  a  bath  (as 
explained  in  chapter  five).  And  the  follow- 
ing laws  are  strictly  to  be  observed  during  the 
whole  time  of  "niddah." 

2. — Bothj  husband  and  wife,  are  strictly 
prohibited  from  touching  each  other  (either  di- 
rectly or  indirectly)  during  the  whole  period 
of  "niddah"  they  are  therefore  not  allowed 
to  hand  anything  to  each  other,  even  if  the 
object  be  so  large  that  they  need  not  come 
into  contact  in  passing  it.  Any  word  or  action 
which  might  lead  to  contact,  must  sedulously 
be  avoided  during  the  period  of  "niddah." 

3. — Some  woman  are  of  opinion  that  it  is 
not  permitted  them,  during  this  period  to  go 
to  the  Synagogue,  or  even  to  say  any  prayers 
whatever.  This  opinion  is  entirely  erroneous. 
They  may  freely  say  their  prayers  and  bless- 
ings as  usual,  either  in  the  synagogue  or  at 
home.  However,  when  at  Synagogue  the 
"Sepher  Torah"  is  held  up,  it  is  customary  for 
a  woman  to  refrain  from  looking  at  it.  Also, 
according  to  some  "Kabbalists",  a  woman 
should  not  visit  the  cemetery  during  this  period. 


—     14      — 
CHAPTER   HL 


On  changing  the  Ihien  and  numbering  the  seven 
clean  days. 

I. — As  soon  as  a  woman  becomes  "niddah" 
whether  it  be  at  the  commencement  of  her  pe- 
riod, or  whether  she  found  a  blood  stain  (on 
examination),  either  on  her  person  or  her 
under  clothing,  or  on  her  bed  clothes,  (as  fully 
described  in  chapter  one,  paragraphs  three  to 
six),  although  she  has  seen  or  found  nothing 
further,  she  is  not  allowed  to  change  her  linen, 
and  to  number  the  seven  clean  days,  until  the 
lapse  of  five  days  from  the  time  she  first  saw 
the  same.  For  example  if  she  became  "niddah" 
on  a  Sunday,  either  on  Saturday  evening,  or  on 
Sunday  during  day  time,  although  she  had  seen 
nothing  further,  she  must  not  change  her  linen 
until  Thursday  evening  at  sunset,  and  if  she, 
after  examining  herself  on  that  Thursday,  find 
herself  quite  clean,  then  Friday  will  be  counted 
as  the  first  of  the  7  clean  days  and  so  on.  But 
when  after  examining  herself  on  the  fifth  day, 
she  did  not  find  herself  clean,  or  if  there  be  the 
least  doubt  in  the  matter,  she  must  defer  chan- 
ging her  linen  and  counting  the  seven  clean 


—     16     — 

days  until  she  is  quite  sure  that  she  is  perfectly 
clean,  i.  e.  that  there  is  no  trace  of  any  stain 
whatever. 

2. — The  changing  of  the  linen  must  take 
place  about  sunset,  on  the  fifth  day,  as  stated  in 
the  above  paragraph.  Should  there,  however, 
be  the  slightest  doubt  that  twilight  has  com- 
menced, this  day  can  not  longer  be  reckoned 
as  one  of  the  seven  days,  and  the  following  day, 
before  twilight,  she  must  once  more  examine 
herself  and  change  her  linen,  and  then  recom- 
mence counting  the  seven  clean  days. 

3. — The  examination  mentioned  above 
should  be  conducted  in  the  strictest  possible 
manner,  and  the  woman  should  bathe  herself 
before  changing  her  linen  and  her  bed  clothes. 
If  any  circumstances  such  as  being  on  a  journey 
or  lack  of  sufficient  linen,  prevent  her  from 
changing  her  linen  or  bed  clothes,  she  must  at 
least  be  sure  that  there  are  no  stains  whatever 
on  that  which  she  is  wearing.  In  fact,  these  exa- 
minations must  take  place  during  the  whole  of 
the  seven  days,  in  the  morning  and  the 
evening. 

4. — If  she  found  herself,  on  examination, 


—     16     — 

perfectly    clean,    then   on   the    evening  of  the 
seventh  day,  but  not  before,  she  can  take  a  bath 
prepared  according  to  our  law.  And  this  bath 
must    not  be   (as  is  an  erroneous    impression 
with     some    women)     simply     one     used     in 
private  houses,  but  a  "Mikvah",  that  is  to  say, 
a  bath  built  exactly  according  to  the  stringent 
regulations  of  our  holy  religion.  It  may  be  inci- 
dentally  mentioned  that  women  who  use  the 
ordinary  bath  at  home   are   in   every    respect 
considered  "niddah"  all  their  lifetime,  and  are 
subject  to  the  dread  Divine  penalty  mentioned 
in  chapter    2,    para,    i,    unless    they    use  the 
"Mikvah".  Should  she  however,  find  on  any  of 
the  seven  days  either  blood  or  a  stain,  then  all 
the  days  which  she  has  numbered  are  lost,  and 
she  must  begin  afresh.  In  short,  a  woman  must 
not  use  the  prescribed  bath  until  she  has  num- 
bered the  seven  clean  da)s  without  any  inter- 
ruption. 

5. — In  accordance  with  the  foregoing  pa- 
ragraph when  she  finds  any  stain  during  the 
seven  clean  days  first  she  need  not  wait  five 
days,  as  mentioned  in  the  paragraph,  but  can 
as  soon  as  she  finds  herself  clean    on  the  same 


—    17    — 

day,  in  the  evening;,  change  her  Hnen  and 
commence  anew  to  count  the  seven  clean  days, 
and  when  these  pass  without  any  mishap,  she 
can  go  in  the  evening  of  the  seventh  day  to 
"Mikvah." 

6. — It  has  already  been  mentioned  that 
she  should  examine  herself  morning  and  even- 
ing during  the  seven  clean  days.  Should  she, 
however,  have  lorgotten  to  do  so,  or  been 
prevented,  then  the  following  rule  has  to  be 
observed. — If  the  examination  has  taken  place 
at  time  of  changing  linen,  and  once  in  the 
morning  of  the  first  of  the  seven  days,  and  then 
again  on  the  seventh  day,  this  will  in  the 
present  instance  suffice,  and  she  may  go  in  the 
evening  of  the  seventh  day  to  "Mikvah".  But  if 
she  neglected  one  of  these  3  examinations  al- 
though she  observed  them  on  one  of  the  inter- 
mediate days,  this  would  be  of  no  avail,  and  she 
must  therefore  acrain  chano^e  her  linen  and  com- 
mence  afresh  to  count  the  seven  clean  days. 

7. — It  is  right  and  proper  for  a  woman  to 
count  and  state  distinctly  the  numbers  of  days. 
For  example:  on  the  first  of  the  seven  clean 
days  she  should  say,  "to-day  is  the  first  of  my 
seven  clean  days."  On  the  second  day,  "to-day 


—     18     — 

is  the  second."  and  so  on.  However,  if  she  did 
not  express  it  thus  in  words,  it  will  suffice  if 
she  is  mindful  during  the  seven  clean  days  of 
the  number,  and  also  observes  the  prescribed 
examinations,  and  this  omission  would  not  in 
any  way  interfere  with  the  seven  clean  days, 
8. — If  the  day  on  which  she  have  to 
change  her  linen  and  count  seven  clean  days, 
fall  of  the  fast  of  the  9th  of  Ab,  or  if  she  be  in 
the  week  of  mourning,  she  is,  nevertheless, 
allowed  to  bathe  herself  and  change  her  linen, 
as  prescribed. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


On  the  preparations  and  regulations  to  he 
observed  on  the  day  of  going  to  '' Mikvah." 

I. — A  woman  should  not  eat  any  animal 
food  on  the  day  of  going  to  "Mikvah."  On 
Sabbaths  and  festivals  however,  this  is  allowed, 
but  she  must  carefully  cleanse  her  teeth  after 
partaking  of  such  food,  in  order  that  nothing 
should  be  left  there.  Should  she,  on  an  ordi- 
nary day  have  taken  any  such  food,  it  would 


—     19     — 

nevertheless,  not  preclude  her  from  using  the 
bath,  provided  that  she  cleanse  her  teeth  thor- 
oughly. In  fact,  the  teeth  and  mouth  should  at 
such  times  always  be  carefully  washed,  so  that 
no  food  whatever  be  found  there. 

2. — During  the  whole  day  preceding  the 
evening  of  going  to  "Mikvah",  she  ought  not  to 
occupy  herself  with  any  substance  of  a  sticky 
nature,  such  as  dough,  glue,  etc.  Should  she 
have  done  so,  either  by  inadvertence  or  necessity 
(e.  g.  when  baking  bread,  or  the  like),  she  must 
immediately  afterwards  thoroughly  wash  herself, 
so  that  every  particle  of  dough  may  be  removed 
from  her  skin. 

3. — She  must  also  on  that  day  cut  the 
nails  of  her  hands  and  feet,  and  then  thoroughly 
cleanse  them.  Should  the  bath  take  place  on  the 
evening  of  a  Sabbath  or  festival  then  this  must 
be  done  on  the  previous  day.  The  nails  may 
also  be  cut  on  intermediate  days  of  the  festival, 
if  the  day  of  "Mikvah"  should  happen  to  be 
one  of  these  days. 

4. — Immediately  before  she  goes  to 
"Mikvah"  she  has  to  take  an  ordinary  warm 
bath  in  which  she  should  wash  herself  thoroughly 


—     20     — 

so  that  not  the  least  partide  of  dust  or  stain  be 
left  on  any  part  of  her  body.  Especially  great 
care  should  be  taken  with  the  hair  which  should 
be  thoroughly  washed  and  combed. 

5. — As  it  has  already  been  mentioned  that 
a  woman  is  only  allowed  to  go  to  "Mikvah", 
when  she  is  certain  of  having  carefully  removed 
from  her  person  any  speck  or  stain,  it  follows 
that  she  must  take  off  her  ear  and  finger  rings, 
her  wig  or  false  hair,  even  a  plaster  of  any  kind 
that  she  may  be  wearing  should  be  removed. 

6. — All  that  has  been  prescribed  above, 
before  eoine  to  "Mikvah"  should  not  be  done 
at  night,  but  commenced  in  the  day  time  and 
continued  deliberately  and  carefully  until  night 
and  then  she  should  immediately  after  go  to 
"Mikvah."  Should  she,  however,  have  been  (by 
some  urged  cause)  prevented  from  doing  this 
in  the  day  time,  she  is  permitted  to  do  it  in  the 
night,  with  great  exactitude  and  care,  and  then 
go  to  "Mikvah".  Between  the  ordinary  bath 
and  the  "Mikvah"  she  is  strictly  prohibited  from 
taking  any  food,  although  occasionally,  some 
time  may  intervene  between  the  ordinary  bath 
and  "Mikvah". 

7. — Although  it  was  stated  before  that  she 


—     21     — 

is  allowed  in  iirofent  circumstances  to  take  the 
ordinary  bath,  cut  her  nails,  etc.,  at  night,  yet, 
if  it  be  on  Friday  night,  or  the  eve  of  a  festival, 
all  this  must  decidedl)^  be  done  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Sabbath  or  festival.  But  then 
immediately  before  the  "Mikvah,"  she  should 
again  wash  herself,  so  as  to  be  certain  that  her 
person  is  free  from  any  such  things  as  are  men- 
tioned in  paragraphs  2  and  3.  Should  the  day 
of  going  to  "Mikvah"  happen  on  the  night  of 
the  eoinof  out  the  Sabbath  or  a  festival,  the 
above  cleansing  should  take  place  on  Erev 
Shabbos  or  Erev  Yom-Tof.  In  this  case,  how- 
ever, she  should  again  thoroughly  examine  her- 
self to  see  if  there  be  any  dirt-stain  on  her 
person,  and  she  should  comb  her  hair,  prior  to 
going  to  "Mikvah." 

8. — If  the  festival  happen  on  Thursday  and 
Friday,  or  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  and  the 
day  of  her  going  to"  Mikvah"  be  Saturday 
evening,  the  prescribed  ordinary  bath,  cutting 
of  nails,  etc.,  should  take  place  on  Erev  Yom- 
Tof,  that  is  to  say  Wednesday  or  Thursday, 
and  the  eve  of  Saturday  the  cleansing  of  teeth, 
and  washing  of  her  person,  cleansing  and  comb- 


—    22    — 

I'ng  of  the  hair,  and,  in  fact,  all  prescribed  regu 
lations  mentioned  above  should  be  repeated  on 
that  night.  Should,  for  example,  a  festival  fall 
on  Saturday  or  Sunday,  or  Sunday  and  Monday 
and  she  fix  the  going  to  "Mikvah"  on  the  night 
of  the  going  out  of  the  festival,  the  prescribed 
ordinary  bath,  the  cutting  of  the  nails,  etc., 
should  take  place  on  Erev  Shabbos,  (Friday); 
and  on  the  night  of  going  out  of  the  festival, 
the  above  mentioned  washing  and  cleansing 
should  be  carefully  repeated. 


CHAPTER  V. 


On  the  time  and  the  via7i7ier  hi  which  the  bath 
or  Mikvah  should  be  taken. 

I. — When  the  seven  clean  days,  as  describ- 
ed in  chapter  4,  have  expired  and  the  regula- 
tions for  preparing  •  for  the  bath  have  been 
carried  out,  then,  at  the  end  of  the  seventh  day. 
when  it  is  quite  night,  the  bath  in  the  "Mikvah" 
may  be  taken.  Should,  however,  the  "Mikvah" 
not  be  accessible  at  night  time,  or  some  other 
cause  prevent  the  woman  from  using  it  at 
night,  then  the  bath  must  be  postponed  to  the 


—    23    — 

eighth  day,  and  under  such  sircumstances  only 
the  bath  may  take  place  in  the  day  time. 
Should  any  other  circumstances  necessitate 
the  postponment  of  the  bath,  it  must  also  not 
take  place  before  night.  In  any  of  those  cases 
which  cause  the  day  to  which  the  bath  is  post- 
poned to  fall  upon  a  Sabbath  or  festival,  it 
must  be  further  postponed  to  the  evening  after 
such  Sabbath  or  festival.  It  must  be  observed, 
that  if  there  be  no  special  cause  for  such  a 
postponement  of  the  bath  it  should  take  place 
at  the  end  of  the  seventh  day. 

2. — Respecting  the  construction  of  the 
"Mikvah"  it  is  to  be  observed  that  the  laws  and 
regulations  are  manifold,  and  extensive  know- 
ledge is  required  for  erecting  such  a  religious 
bath,  a  description  of  which  would  here  be  out 
of  place.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  by  ''Mikvah"  is 
understood  a  bath  which  has  been  built  strictly 
in  accordance  with  the  prescribed  laws  for  such 
a  structure,  and  which  has  been  examined  and 
approved  by  the  Ecclesiastical  Authorities. 

3. — The  bath  should  be  taken  by  her  in 
the  following  manner :  She  should  be  entirely 
nude   on   entering   it,    and    should    immerse 


—     24     — 

herself  in  such*  a  manner  that  the  whole  of  her 
body  and  hair  should  be  completely  under  the 
water.  While  immersed  in  the  bath  the  body 
should  be  kept  in  such  a  position  that  the  water 
may  readily  find  access  to  all  parts  of  it.  Should 
the  smallest  portion  ot  the  body  or  even  a 
single  hair  remain  above  the  surface  of  the 
water,  the  bath  would  not  be  in  accord  with  our 
law  and  she  would  consequently  be  still  "niddah" 
as  before.  In  order  therefore,  to  ensure  that 
every  part  of  the  body  and  hair  has  been  en- 
tirely immersed,  there  should  always  be  present 
a  religious  and  experienced  women,  to  see  that 
the  bath  has  been  taken  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  precept  just  mentioned. 

4. — Should  she  be  unable  to  dip  herself 
and  require  the  assistance  of  another  woman, 
then  the  latter  shall  first  dip  her  own  hands 
into  the  bath  so  as  to  wet  them  completely, 
and  take  hold  of  her  loosely,  in  such  a  way  as 
to  leave  ready  access  to  the  water. 

5. — After  she  has  immersed  herself  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  prescribed  law  and  while 
still  in  the  water,  she  folds  her  arms  across  her 
waist  and  says  the  blessing  in  Hebrew: 


—     25     — 

The  following-  is  the  English  Translation: 
"Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe,  who  hast  sanctified  us  with  Thy 
commandments,  and  commanded  us  to  observe 
the  precept  of  the  bath."  Should  she  have 
omitted  to  repeat  the  blessing,  it  would  not  im- 
pair the  efficacy  of  the  bath. 

6. — A  proper  bath  should  be  in  the  ground, 
and  the  water  thereof  must  be  supplied  from  a 
spring  or  main  directly  conveyed  through 
underground  pipes. 

7. — The  volume  of  water  which  the  bath 
must  contain  when  used  is  at  least  160  Imperial 
gallons. 


CHAPTER  VL 


On  the  time  of  separation  when  expecting 
the  period. 

I. — On  the   night  or  day  on   which   the 
woman  expects  her  period  conjugal  intercourse 


—     26     — 

is  strictly  prohibited.  According  to  the  deci- 
sion of  some  of  our  sages  this  separation  should 
take  place  even  a  night  or  day  before  the 
period;  as  for  example,  if  her  menstruation 
always  takes  place  in  the  day  time  the  separa- 
tion should  take  place  on  the  preceding  night; 
and  again,  if  it  take  place  in  the  night,  then 
the  separation  should  take  place  on  the  day 
before.  "Happy  are  those  who  strictly  adhere 
to  this  decision,  for  their  souls  will  always  re- 
main pure  from  a  stain  of  sin  and  they  will  find 
favour  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord." 

2. — If  the  period  did  not  commence  on  the 
expected  day  or  night,  she  must  examine  her- 
self, and  when  finding  herself  completely  clean, 
the  above  separation  need  not  be  observed. 

3. — ^The  period  is  not  alike  with  all  women. 
Indeed,  changes  even  often  occur  in  the  period 
of  any  one  woman.  For  these  varying  cases 
different  laws  are  laid  down  for  each  individual, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  paragraphs. 

4. — With  some  the  period  takes  place  on 
certain  days  of  the  month,  for  instance,  regu- 
larly on  loth  Nissan,  loth  lyar,  loth  Sivan,  or 
loth  April,  loth  May,   loth  June  and  so  on,  no 


—    27     — 

matter  whether  the  month  has  29  or  30  days. 
This  is  called  the  period  of  the  date  of  the 
month.  With  others,  it  always  occurs  after  a 
certain  number  of  days;  and  with  others  again, 
it  always  occurs  on  the  30th  day,  that  is  to  say, 
from  one  period  to  another  always  after  30 
days.  This  is  called  the  ordinary  period.  Chan- 
ges will  sometimes  occur  in  the  menstrual 
period,  the  laws  respecting  which  could  not 
conveniently  be  given  in  this  brief  outline.  If 
such  changes  do  take  place,  an  authorized 
and  competent  authority  should  be  consulted, 

5. — Besides  the  periods  mentioned  above, 
there  are  others  with  some  women,  which  do 
not  occur  after  the  lapse  of  a  certain  number 
of  days,  or  on  any  fixed  day  of  the  month,  but 
various  physical  signs  occur  which  give  warn- 
ing that  the  period  is  close  at  hand,  such  as 
continued  sneezing,  yawning,  headache,  or  in- 
ternal pains,  and  this  is  called  the  period 
according  to  physical  signs.  The  rules  for  sepa- 
ration should  in  this  case  be  observed,  at  the 
fixed  time  of  other  periods. 


—    28    ^ 


CHAPTER  yil. 


Laws  to  be  observed  after  child-birth. 

I. — As  soon  as  a  woman  has  given  birth 
to  a  child,  or  even  if  it  be  a  miscarriage,  she  is 
immediately  considered  "niddah",  and  the 
folowing  laws  must  be  observed:  If  seven  days 
after  the  birth  of  a  male  child,  and  fourteen  days 
after  the  birth  of  a  female  child,  she  is  able  to 
count  seven  clean  days,  without  seeing  any 
blood  or  stain,  she  may  then  take  the  religious 
bath,  as  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  chapters. 
The  seven  clean  days  may  be  included  in  the 
fourteen  days  after  the  birth  of  a  female  child, 
providing  that  no  blood  stain  has  been  noticed 
during  that  time,  and  some  of  the  seven  clean 
days  may^be  included  in  the  seven  days  after 
the  birth  of  a  male  child,  provided  also  that  no 
blood  stain  be  seen  during  the  seven  clean 
days.  It  is,  however,  customary  with  some  not 
to  go  to  the  bath  until  the  lapse  of  forty  days 
after  the  birth  of  a  male  child,  and  eighty  days 
after  that  of  a  female.  This  usage,  however, 
need  not  be  observed,  except  by  those  who 
liave  before  commenced  this  custom. 


—    29    — 


CHAPTER  VIIL 


Laws  and  regulations  for  a  bride. 

I. — Every  bride  should,  previous  to  her 
marriage,  prepare  herself  in  every  way  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  laws  already  mentioned 
above  with  reference  to  married  women,  that 
is,  after  five  or  six  days  from  her  monthly 
period,  she  should  wash  and  cleanse  herself, 
change  her  linen,  and  count  seven  clean  days 
with  every  other  strict  observance  as  prescribed 
in  chapter  3,  with  the  one  exception  that  a 
married  woman  must  not  take  the  bath 
before  nightfall,  whilst  the  bride  may  take  it  in 
the  day  time.  If  however,  by  counting  the  five 
days  and  the  seven  clean  days  as  stated  above, 
there  be  caused  any  hindrance  to  the  marriage, 
as  for  instance  the  coming  of  the  next  monthly 
period,  or  some  other  cause  through  which 
the  marriage  must  be  contracted  sooner,  an 
authorized  and  competent  authority  should  be 
consulted.  It  is  therefore,  a  sacred  and  weighty 
duty  with  every  Jewish  woman  to  instruct  her 
daughters,  previously  to  marriage,   in  all   the 


—     30    — 

laws  and  observances  of  "niddali."  It  is  a  duty 
which  no  Jewish  mother,  under  any  circum- 
stances should  neglect;  indeed,  the  responsi- 
bility in  this  respect  is  so  great  that  it  cannot  be 
too  strongly  impressed  upon  the  mind  of  every 
mother  that  she  should  not  by  her  daughter's 
neglect  to  observe  these  stringent  laws,  herself 
incur  any  guilt  for  having  failed  to  carry  out  her 
maternal  duties  in  this  respect. 

2. — A  bride  is  not  allowed  to  begin  to 
count  the  seven  clean  days  unless  the  day  of 
the  marriage  has  been  absolutely  fixed,  so  that 
the  prescribed  religious  bath  should  be  used 
as  near  as  possible  to  the  wedding  that  is  to 
say,  a  day  before,  or  at  the  most  four  days 
before.  In  latter  case,  however,  she  must  in  the 
intermediate  time  examine  herself. 

3. — If  the  day  be  already  fixed  for  the 
marriage  and  then  again  postponed  to  some 
other  day,  the  clean  days  which  she  counted 
would  be  of  no  avail,  and  she  must  com- 
mence anew. 

4. — If  through  any  circumstance,  the  bride 
could  not  take  the  religiously  prescribed  bath 
before  the  marriage,  the  marriage  must  not  be 


—    81    — 

consummated  until  such  bath  has  been  taken. 
(But  if  there  be  any  serious  loss  on  account,  of 
postponement  of  marriage,  then  an  authorized 
and  competent  authority  should  be  consulted.) 

5. — When  the  seven  clean  days  of  the 
bride  terminate  on  the  wedding  day,  (that  is 
to  say,  when  the  day  of  marriage  is  the  seventh 
of  the  clean  days,)  the  following  rule  in  refer- 
ence to  the  bath  is  to  be  observed.  If  the  bath 
can  take  place  before  the  ceremony,  it  may  be 
taken  in  the  day  time.  Should,  however,  the 
marriage  ceremony  have  been  performed  be- 
fore, the  bath  must  not  be  taken  until  night,  as 
is  the  case  with  other  married  women. 

6.  —  After  the  consummation  of  the 
marriage,  separation,  such  as  was  mentioned 
in  chapter  2,  should  immediately  take  place. 
In  this  case,  however,  the  bride  in  allowed  to 
commence  counting  seven  clean  days  on  the 
fifth  day  after  the  marriage,  but  these  days 
must  in  every  way  be  strictly  observed,  as  in 
the  case  of  any  other  married  woman. 


—   sa  — 

CHALLAH. 

CHAPTER  L 


On  the   Laws   of   Taking  ^'' Challah** 

I. — It  is  one  of  the  sacred  duties  of  every 
Israelite  to  take  "Challah,"  (a  cake  or  piece 
of  dough)  whenever  dough  is  prepared  for 
baking,  in  accordance  with  the  precept  taught 
in  the  Bible  (Numbers,  chap,  15,  verses  20 
and  21.)  This  duty  specially  devolves  on 
every  housewife,  if  such  be  prepared  by  her 
in  her  own  home,  if  dough  is  made  of  any 
of  the  following  five  kinds  of  grain,  wheat, 
rye,  barley,  oats  and  spelt.  The  dough  must 
consist  of  at  least  a  quantity  equal  to  43  \^ 
ordinary  fowls'  eggs,  which  would  as  nearly 
as  possible  amount  to  31^  lbs.  of  meal. 

2. — If  separate  portions  of  dough  are 
made  each  of  a  different  kind  of  flour  from 
the  grain  mentioned  above,  but  each  by  it- 
self not  being  the  quantity  for  "Challah," 
then,  if  they  are  put  together,  "Challah"  must 
be  taken. 


—     33     — 

3. — Two  large  quantities  of  dough,  al- 
though kneaded  separately,  may  be  joined 
and  one  "Challah"  taken  of  both.  The  proper 
course  is  for  "Challah"  to  be  taken  from  the 
dough,  but  if  this  has  not  been  done  the  baked 
bread  or  cake  must  be  collected  in  one  vessel 
and  Challah  taken  of  all.  If  a  vessel  is  not  ob- 
tainable a  cover  may  be  placed  over  the  bread 
or  cakes  and  "Challah"  should  then  be  taken. 
This  observation  should  be  especially  noted 
with  regard  to  Passover  cakes.  Before  "Challah" 
is  taken  the  following  blessing  is  said: 

The  following  is  the  translation: 

"Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  our  God, 
King  of  the  universe,  who  hast  commanded  us 
to  take  "Challah." 

4. — "Challah"  need  only  be  taken  if  the 
dough  belongs  to  an  Israelite,  but  if  dough 
or  baked  bread  be  bought  from  a  nonTsraelite 
no  "Challah"  should  be  taken,  even  if  amount- 
ing to  the  quantity  stated  in  paragraph  i.  If  a 
dough  is  provided  for  making  cake,  and  is  not 


—     34     — 

mixed  with  water,  but  only  with  eggs  and 
milk,  Challah  should  be  taken  from  it,  but  no 
blessing  should  be  said  before  taking  it.  It 
must  also  be  observed  that  the  "Challah"  which 
is  taken  either  of  the  dough  or  of  bread  must 
not  be  eaten,  but  has  to  be  burnt. 


Laws  concerning  the 
Salting  of  Meat. 


It  is  well  known  to  every  Jew  and  Jewess 
that  partaking  of  blood  in  any  manner  or  form 
is  strictly  prohibited  to  us,  under  the  severe 
penalty  repeatedly  expressed  in  the  Pentateuch 
in  the  following  terms :  "Whatsoever  man 
there  be  of  the  house  of  Israel  that  eateth  any 
manner  of  blood,  I  will  set  my  face  against 
that  person  that  eateth  blood,  and  will  cut  him 
off  from  among  his  people."  (Leviticus,  chapter 
XVII,  verse  lo.) 

"For  whosoever  eateth  the  fat  of  the  beast, 
etc.,  even  the  soul  that  eateth  it  shall  be  cut 
from  his  people."  (LeviticusVII,  25.) 


—    35    — 

We  should,  therefore,  endeavor  by  every 
possible  means  to  avoid  the  transgression  of 
this  important  precept,  and  our  sages  have  laid 
down  laws  and  regulations  by  which  we  are 
enabled  to  remove  every  particle  of  blood  from 
meat  before  partaking  of  it.  This  process  of  re- 
moving the  blood  is  known  to  every  Jewish  per- 
son by  the  term  of  "Koshering"  the  meat. 


CHAPTER  L 


IVashtng-,  or  soaking  the  meat. 

I. — The  first  duty  of  the  Jewish  house-wife 
when  the  meat  is  brought  home  from  the  but- 
cher, is  to  see  that  the  same  has  been  properly 
porged,  i.  e.  that  all  the  veins  containing  blood 
and  all  the  forbidden  fat  have  been  removed, 
more  especially  the  fat  of  the  hindquarter,  such 
as  kidney-fat,  etc. 

2. — ^The  meat  and  kosher  fat  should  be 
put  at  once  in  the  pan  which  is  reserved  for 
that  purpose,  and  it  should  not  be  put  in  any 
place  where  there  is  likely  to  be  butter,  milk  or 


—     36     — 

even  salt,  but  it  must  be  at  once  put  into  water 
and  entirely  covered  thereby,  and  it  must  re- 
main in  the  water  for  not  less  than  half  an 
hour. 

3. — ^The  water  in  which  the  meat  is  placed 
must  not  contain  any  ice,  nor  must  it  be  warm, 
because,  in  either  case,  it  would  prevent  after- 
wards the  salt  from  drawing  the  blood  from  the 
meat.  For  this  reason,  also,  if  the  meat  should 
be  frozen,  it  must  not  be  salted  until  it  has  been 
thawed. 

4. — In  case  of  poultry,  the  whole  of  the 
inside  must  be  completely  removed,  especially 
the  lights  or  lungs,  which  are  almost  always 
full  of  blood. 

5. — If  the  meat  has  been  half  an  hour  in  the 
water,  we  must  be  careful,  before  salting  it,  to 
thoroughly  wash  off  from  it  every  clot  of  blood 
w  hich  may  be  visible  upon  it,  and  put  it  on  the 
so-called  salting  board,  which  is  full  of  holes, 
and  must  be  placed  in  a  slanting  position,  so 
that  the  water  which  is  left  from  the  soaking 
may  freely  run  down. 

6. — If  any  bruise  be  observed  on  the  flesh 


—     37     — 

which  may  contain  hardened  blood,  and  which 
the  soaking  of  the  water  would  not  remove, 
that  part  must  be  cut  out  before  the  meat  is 
placed  in  the  water. 

7. — In  a  case  of  emergency  as  for  instance, 
when  the  food  is  wanted  for  a  sick  person,  or 
on  FViday  afternoon,  when  there  would  not  be 
sufficient  time  to  cook  it  before  the  Sabbath,  it 
will  be  sufficient  if  the  meat  be  soaked  in  the 
water  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  be  salted 
for  half  an  hour. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Salting  of  the  meat, 

I. — We  should  see  that  the  water  has  thor- 
oughly run  off  the  meat  before  salting  it,  other- 
wise the  salt  will  be  dissolved,  and  will  con- 
sequently not  have  the  power  of  drawing  out 
the  blood. 

2. — The  salt  must  be  very  clear  and  clean, 
and  neither  to  coarse  nor  too  fine.  It  should  not 
be  moist. 


—     38     — 

3. — We  should  be  careful,  when  salting 
the  meat,  that  the  salt  covers  every  part  there- 
of. We  should  put  the  salt  on  neither  too 
lavishly  nor  too  sparingly.  The  meat  should  be 
covered  with  the  salt  in  such  a  manner  as  we 
sometimes,  in  winter,  see  a  roof  covered  with 
!ioar  frost.  After  being  salted  the  proper  length 
of  time,  the  salt  should  be  shaken  from  the 
meat,  and  the  latter  washed  three  times,  the 
water  being  changed  each  time. 

4. — Should  there  be  any  cuts  in  the  meat, 
care  must  be  taken  that  the  salt  be  put  within 
all  such  parts.  Poultry  should  be  cut  open  either 
entirely,  or  for  the  greater  part,  and  care  should 
be  taken  that  wherever  there  is -any  clot  of 
hardened  blood  it  should  be  removed,  and 
when  salted,  poultry  should  be  placed  in  such 
a  position,  that  the  blood  which  is  drawn  forth 
by  the  salt  should  freely  pass  out. 

5. — The  head  or  feet  of  an  animal  may  be 
salted  while  the  hair  or  skin  adheres,  but  the 
head  must  be  opened  and  the  brains  taken  out 
and  so  salted,  and  the  points  of  the  hoofs  and 
of  the  claws,  must  be  cut  off  before  salting.  The 
heart   should   also  be   opened  and  the  blood 


~    39    — 

therein  contained  must  be  removed  before  salt- 
ing, and  we  should  also  be  careful  to  remove 
all  the  veins  containing  blood,  that  is  to  say, 
what  is  usually  known  by  the  term  "porging" 
the  meat. 

6. — If  beef  be  salted  together  with  poultry, 
veal,  or  lamb,  or  fat,  the  four  last  named  should 
be  put  above  the  beef,  as  in  their  case,  being 
more  tender  than  the  beef,  their  blood  is  more 
readily  extracted  than  that  of  the  beef,  and 
would  then  absorb  the  blood  which  is  still 
running  out  of  the  beef.  Bones  containing 
marrow  when  not  joined  to  the  meat,  should  be 
salted  separately  and  put  above  as  in  the  case 
of  poultry. 

7. — If  eggs  are  found  in  poultry,  whether 
in  the  shell  or  not,  they  must  also  be  salted, 
not  together  with  the  meat,  but  separately. 
Such  eggs  must  not  be  eaten  with  any  milk  or 
butter.  The  meat  should  remain  in  the  salt  for 
an  hour,  except  on  Friday  afternoon,  when 
there  would  be  no  time  to  cook  it  before  the 
Sabbath,  then  half  an  hour  will  suffice. 

8. — It  is  necessary  to  be  very  careful 
that  the  meat  which  lies  in  salt  should  not  be 


—     40     — 

allowed  to  fall  or  slip  down  into  the  blood 
which  has  just  been  drawn  from  it  by  the  salt, 
and  care  should  also  be  taken  that  not  a  drop 
of  this  blood  shall  drip  upon  any  vessel  because 
in  that  case  it  would  make  that  vessel  "trifa", 
and  consequently  unfit  for  any  further  use. 

9. — The  liver  should  not  be  Koshered  in 
this  manner,  but  must  be  cut  open  cross-wise 
and  fried  over  the  coals,  some  salt  being 
sprinkled  over  it.  Afterwards  it  must  be  washed, 
and  then  it  may  be  boiled. 

10. — For  Broiling  Meat.  The  meat  need 
not  be  either  soaked  or  salted.  It  should  be 
throughly  washed  so  that  no  clot  of  blood  ad- 
hers.  After  being  placed  on  the  gridiron,  it  is 
customary  to  sprinkle  the  meat  with  salt,  and 
then  it  must  at  once  be  placed  over  the  fire. 
The  blood  extracted  during  the  process  of 
broiling  is  "trifa"  and  must  not  be  taken  up  in 
any  vessel.  When  finished,  the  meat  should  at 
once  be  removed  from  the  gridiron.  The  juice 
that  now  remains  in  the  meat,  though  red  like 
blood  is  "kosher"  and  may  be  eaten. 


—    41     — 

Duties  for  Parents 
in  Training  Children. 

•♦Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should   go,  and  even 
when  he  is  old,  he  will  not  depart  from  it."  (Proverbs XXII,  b.) 


Habits  once  formed  are  extremely  difficult 
to  break,  therefore  it  is  the  duty  of  parents  to 
instill  in  their  children  the  habits  of  honesty, 
charity  and  all  those  that  form  a  good  character. 
This  is  what  we  call  training  the  child ;  and  the 
difference  between  a  child  thus  trained  and 
one  who  has  missed  this,  is  similar  to  that  be- 
tween the  fruit  of  two  trees,  one  growing  wild, 
the  other  pruned  and  trained;  the  fruit  of  the 
first  not  fit  for  use,  that  of  the  second  a 
blessing  to  mankind. 

I.  It  is  advisable  that  parents  should  not 
deliver  their  child  to  a  nurse  who  eats  the  "for- 
bidden food",  or  who  is  known  to  be  morally 
weak,  as  these  things  have  decided  effect  upon 
the  child's  character. 

II.  Until  the  age  of  six  years  when  the 
child  is  more  closely  attached  to  its  mother,  it 
becomes  her  duty  to  see  that  the  child  eats  no 


—    42     — 

"forbidden  food";  that  even  as  a  toy  she  give 
the  child  no  edible  substance  that  is  forbidden. 

III.  She  must  instill  in  the  child  the  love 
of  truth,  of  honesty,  and  of  obedience;  that  he 
should  tell  no  lie  under  any  circumstances,  that 
he  should  take  from  no  child  even  a  toy  that  is 
not  his  own,  or  anything  that  belongs  to  an- 
other ;  because  if  care  is  taken  in  such  little 
things,  there  will  be  little  fear  of  his  committing 
great  ones. 

IV.  It  is  for  the  mother  to  see  that  his 
playmates  are  fit  companions  for  her  child,  that 
he  may  not  aquire  the  habit  of  swearing  or 
cursing.  This  fact  is  indeed  important,  for  at 
this  early  age  when  the  child  learns  quickly 
what  it  hears,  playmates  have  a  powerful  influ- 
ence. Speaking  ill  of  one's  neighbor  and  tale- 
bearing the  child  should  be  taught  to  avoid. 

V.  It  is  wrong  for  parents  to  cause  their 
children  to  do  such  acts  on  the  Sabbath  as  they 
themselves  would  not  do,  as  for  instance  turn- 
ing off  the  lights;  the  child  must  not  be  given 
money  on  this  day  to  buy  anything  either  for 
the  parents  or  for  itself,  neither  should  the 
child    carry   a   book    of    worship   or   anything 


—     43     — 

whatsoever,   to    the    synagogue    for   them    on 
this  day. 

VI.  If  a  child  does  wrong,  it  is  the  parent's 
duty  to  correct  it,  either  b)^  reasoning  with  the 
child,  or  if  this  is  no  avail,  by  whipping,  but  in 
this  case  the  punishment  must  not  be  too  severe. 
A  wrong  when  done,  should  be  corrected  at 
once,  for  threats  of  later  punishment  will  only 
lead  to  acts,  causing  great  pain  and  bitterness 
both  to  themselves  and  their  parents. 

VII.  As  soon  as  the  child  learns  to  speak, 
it  is  the  duty  of  the  parents  to  teach  him  of 
the  Torah  such  verses  as: 

(Hear  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Lord 
is  one)  and 

(Moses  commanded  us  a  law,  an  inherit- 
ance for  the  assembly  of  Jacob.) 

After  meals  a  very  short  grace  is: 

(Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe,  Master  of  the  food,  I  have 
eaten.) 


—    44     — 

All  the  positive  commandments,  com- 
manded by  our  Holy  Law  should  be  taught 
the  child  with  reference  to  his  age  and  intel- 
ligence. 

As  for  instance,  when  the  child  is  of  the 
age  of  nine  years,  it  is  encumbent  on  the  father 
to  take  him  to  the  synagogue  where  he  learns 
CO  respond  .nt^^^lpr  "iD^n  ,n21  ^D5^*  sn^  ]f2i< 
The  father  should  either  teach  the  child  himself 
or  employ  a  teacher,  proficient  in  Hebrew;  fur- 
thermore, the  teacher  should  be  a  God-fearing 
man  of  worthy  character,  that  the  child  from  its 
earliest  years  may  become  learned  in  the  fear 
of  heaven  and  in  moral  excellence. 

"If  thou  doest  thus,  happy  shalt  thou  be  in 
this  world,  and  it  shall  be  well  with  thee  in  the 
world  to  come." 


—     47     — 


Evening  rieditation. 

"Stand  in  awe,  and  sin  not ;  commune  with  your  own 
heart  upon  your  bed  and  be  still",  (Psalm  IV,  4,) 


O  Lord,  our  God,  the  best  among-  us  are 
not  free  from  blame,  the  strongest  are  but 
feeble,  and  the  eyes  of  the  most  clearsighted 
are  often  dim;  therefore  we  err  or  vacillate,  and 
stray  from  thy  paths,  and  fall  heedlessly  into 
guilt  and  affliction.  Yet  may  we  not  hope  to 
keep  aloof  from  sin  if,  with  Thy  blessing  upon 
our  thoughts,  we  take  frequent  counsel  of  our 
own  heart,  especially  in  the  peace  and  silence 
of  the  night,  when  all  outward  sounds  have  died 
away,  when  all  disturbing  strife  is  hushed,  when 
the  whole  world  slumbers  around  us,  when  we 
are  removed  from  the  influence  of  friends  and 
foes,  when  temptations  and  dangers  are  alike 
shrouded  in  obscurity,  when  darkness  spreads 
its  wings  over  us  and  seems  to  arrest  the  step 
of  time,  and  give  to  our  troubles  and  uncertain- 
ties long  and  useful  hours  for  meditation,  for 
searching  looks  into  the  past  and  into  the  most 
hidden   depths  of  our  breast,  opportunity  for 


—    48    — 

earnest  attention  to  the  faintest  whisperings  of 
conscience:  then  if  our  soul  awakens  and  thrills 
with  the  knowledge  of  our  faults  and  our  weak- 
ness, and  shakes  off  the  trammels  of  old  failings, 
the  fetters  of  debility,  and  the  chains  of  habit, 
it  may  be  purified  by  sorrow  and  repentence, 
and,  thus  supported  by  hope  and  faith  rise 
toward  Thee,  Almighty  God,  whose  mercy  will 
preserve  it  from  the  oft-recurring  stains  of 
earth. 


Morning  Meditation. 

"My  voice  shalt  Thou  hear  in  the  morning,  O  Lord; 
in  the  morning  will  I  direct  my  prayer  unto  Thee,  and  will 
look  up".  {Psalm  V.  j.) 


Almighty  God  of  infinite  compassion, 
however  weak  my  voice  among  the  myriads 
of  voices,  that  rise  in  all  parts  of  the  earth  from 
the  lips  of  Thy  children,  to  thank  Thee  with 
humble  adoration  for  the  comfort  and  rest  of 
soothing  slumbers,  vouchsafed  to  them  in  a 
peaceful  night ;  my  feeble  words  will  reach  Thy 
Divine  ear,  and  bring  before  Thee  the  most 


—    49    — 

ardent  thanksgiving  and  the  fervent  prayer 
for  help  and  strength,  that  my  daily  endeavors 
and  the  fulfilment  of  my  duties  may  be  worthy 
of  Thy  service.  However  incomplete  and  in- 
efficient the  work  of  the  previous  day,  how- 
ever great  the  sense  of  discouragement  with 
which  I  closed  my  eyes,  sleep  has  lulled,  if  not 
quieted  my  disappointment,  and  Thy  mercy 
has  permitted  hope  and  energy  to  revive  in 
my  heart  and  mind.  I  no  longer  despond,  and 
as  I  look  up  to  the  bright  blue  of  heaven, 
floods  of  light  and  sunshine  stream  down  and 
warm  my  breast  with  an  all-pervading  glow  of 
faith  and  with  the  flame  ofzeal  which  will  en- 
able me,  O  Gracious  Lord,  to  obey  Thy  behests 
and  accomplish  the  obligations  of  my  life. 
Amen. 


—     50     — 

Meditation  for  the  Sabbath 
after  Lighting  Candles. 

"And  God  blessed  the  seventh  day  and  sanctified  it. 
because  in  it  He  had  rested  from  all  his  work  which  He  had 
created  and  made".   {^Gt-nesis  II,  j.) 


As  we  bow  down  every  morning  in  humble 
thanksgiving  to  Thee.  O  Lord,  lor  having 
vouchsafed  to  our  slumbers  the  shield  of  Th)' 
Divine  protection  and  given  us  renewed  vigor 
and  energy,  so  let  us  prostrate  ourselves  be- 
fore Thee  in  mind  and  heart  on  the  holy 
Sabbath,  which  Thou  didst  sanctify  to  be  a  day 
of  rest  after  the  labors  of  the  week,  when  the 
vast  and  beauteous  works  of  creation  had  been 
completed  by  Thy  sacred  will.  The  busy  hum 
of  activity  is  suspended  in  garden  and  field,  in 
factory  and  market-place,  under  the  great 
vault  of  heaven  and  in  the  narrow  precincts  of 
our  own  houses.  Yet  if  our  hands  are  at  rest, 
if  our  time  is  unclaimed  by  wordly  persuits,  if 
our  thoughts  are  no  longer  yoked  to  the  cares 
and  burdens  of  daily  existence,  no  longer  en- 
grossed by  the  toil  and  weariness,  the  efforts 
and  struggles  of  life,  the  Sabbath  which  has 


—     51 


been  hallowed  by  Thee,  Alm-ghty  God  and 
which  brings  with  it  the  entire  cessation  of 
work  demands,  not  listlessness  but  undisturbed 
repose  for  the  contemplation  of  our  duties  and 
for  eager  and  searching  looks  into  the  past 
fulfilment  or  neglect  of  our  obligations,  it  de- 
mands ever  anxious  resolves  of  amendment 
and  improvement  in  order  that  the  future 
still  allotted  to  us  upon  earth  may  be  one  of 
usefulness  and  benevolence.  Above  all  the 
sacred  day  suggests  deep  and  warm  and  heart- 
felt prayer  to  Thee,  O  Eternal,  that  Thy  bless- 
ing may  be  upon  our  endeavors,  that  it  may 
give  fervor  to  our  hopes,  power  to  our  aims 
and  vitality  to  our  wishes;  lead  us  to  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  all  that  is  good,  yet  also  disclose 
to  us  the  shoals  and  quicksands,  rocks  and 
precipices,  which  we  may  have  to  encounter  in 
the  great  outer  world  during  the  perilous  voy- 
age of  life ;  and  make  us  aquainted  with  the 
inward  dangers  the  faults  and  weaknesses  which 
lurk  in  the  secret  corners  and  dark  recesses 
of  our  own  breast  and  our  own  soul.  Let  us 
then  supplicate  Thee,  our  Heavenly  Father,  to 
bless  the  day  of  rest  that  it  may  leave  us  puri- 
fied refreshed  and  strengthened  for  unceasing 


—    62    — 


labors  of  love  and  unwearied  acts  of  self-deny- 
ing charity.  Amen. 


A  Meditation  for  Passover. 

"Thou    shalt    keep    the    feast    of    unleavened   bread". 
(Exodus  XXIII,  15.) 


Almighty  God,  Thou  hast  graciously  com- 
manded, that  we  shall  celebrate  the  anniversary 
of  the  deliverance  of  the  Hebrews  from  the  land 
of  bondage  and  from  the  persecution  of  the 
Egyptian  despot,  as  indeed  Thou  hast  bidden 
us  to  hold  sacred  all  festivals  of  gladness.  The 
narratives  enshrined  in  the  holy  Bible  teach  us 
great  lessons  of  Thankfulness;  however,  not 
they  alone  by  recording  Thy  infinite  mercies  to 
our  forfathers  in  remote  ages,  point  out  to  us 
the  duties  of  sincere  and  ardent  appreciation, 
but  every  picture  treasured  by  memory  shows, 
every  experience  of  life  proclaims,  that  to  Thee, 
Almighty  King,  we  owe  eternal  gratitude,  yet 
not  mere  lip  worship,  not  only  the  solemn  cer- 
emonies, which  are   and  can  be  but  faint  indi- 


—     53     — 

cation  of  the  feelings  of  the  heart  within,  and  of 
that  vivid  recollection  of  help  and  strength  in 
hours  of  weakness,  doubt  and  difficulty,  of  that 
glowing  remembrance  of  Thy  blessings,  which 
enable  us  at  all  time  to  escape  from  danger  and 
slavery,  even  when  the  waters  of  peril,  like  the 
waves  of  the  Red  sea,  threaten  to  engulf  us. 
Let  our  gratitude,  Almighty  God,  abound  in 
good  deeds,  that  we  may  aid,  support  and  com- 
fort our  brethren,  whenever  they  need  our 
assistance  in  days  of  sickness  anxiety  or  sorrow! 
Amen. 


A  rieditation  for  Pentecost. 

"Thou  shalt  keep  the  feast  of  harvest".  {Exodus XIII,  1 6 .) 


Our  Loving  and  Gracious  God,  when  the 
whole  earth  is  brig^ht  and  warm  and  sweet  with 
softly  waving  foliage  and  golden  lights  and  the 
fragrance  of  flowers,  when  the  glad  summer 
wreathed  and  crowned  with  beauty,  appears  to 
rejoice  under  the  blue  vault  of  heaven  we  feel 
truly  happy  in  obeying  Thy  Divine  command- 


—     54     — 

ments.  The  blessing  of  goodly  harvests  is  given 
by  Thy  beneficence,  Almighty  God,  as  a  pre- 
cious reward  to  those   who  toil  in  Thy  fields 
and   through    whose     industrious    hands   Thy 
bounty  feeds  all  mankind.  We  celebrate  with 
ardent    thanksgivings    the    sunny    season    set 
apart  for  the  feast  of  harvest  as  in  the  favored 
land  inhabited  by  our  forefathers,  the  ingathering 
of  the  fruits  of  diligent  labors  is  completed  at 
the  time  of  this  festival.  But  as  we  humbly  thank 
Thee  for  the  yellow  sheaves  of  the  earth  and 
the  nourishment  they  afford  to  rich  and  poor, 
and  for  the  comfort  they  yield  to  the  gleaner, 
even  then  leaving  a  rich  banquet  spread  far  and 
wide  for  the  birds  of  the  air,  so  we  anxiously 
)earn,  Almighty  God  to  breathe  our  deepest 
crratitude  for  the  Divine  laws  which  were  vouch- 
safed to  our  ancestors  on   Mount  Sinai  at  this 
period  of  the   year  and  for  the   fruits   of  the 
mind  and  heart  which  Thy  unbounded  mere) 
has  allowed  us  to  cultivate  in  order  that  theii 
sweetness  may  overcome  much  that  is  bitter 
and  their  freshness  prove  imperishable. 


—     65     — 

A  Meditation  for  the  Feast 
of  Tabernacles. 

"Thou  shalt  keep  the  feast  of  ingathering  at   the  end 
of  the  year".  ^Exodus  XXIII,   id.") 


Thou  hast  commanded  us,  our  Gracious 
Benefactor  to  celebrate  a  feast  of  gratitude  for 
the  boons  and  treasures  vouchsafed  to  us 
throughout  the  teeming  year.  When  the  earth 
in  obedience  to  Thy  word,  has  produced  the 
golden  grain  of  the  furrow,  the  weahh  of  the 
orchard,  and  the  gleaming  clusters  of  the  vine 
and  we  have  reaped  and  garnered  the  blessings 
of  Thy  bounty,  we  keep  a  season  of  rejoicing 
and  we  thank  Thee,  our  Heavenly  Father,  for 
having  so  lavishly  ministered  to  the  wants  of 
Thy  children.  The  last  roses  of  the  year, 
blushing  in  the  glow  of  autumn,  the  amber  or 
purple  grapes,  the  willow  of  the  brook,  the 
sweet  scented  citron,  the  sprays  of  myrtle  and 
the  palmleaves  from  distand  lands  are  gathered 
and  bound  and  wreathed  to  adorn  the  taber- 
nacles in  which  we  bow  down  and  gratefully 


—     56     — 

breathe  our  thanksgivings,  and  they  are  inten- 
ded to  express  how  truly  we  prize  the  endless 
variety  of  the  goodly  and  luxuriant  gifts  of 
nature;  yet  can  we  ever  thank  Thee  enough, 
Lord  God  Almighty,  and  should  we  not  keep 
every  day  of  our  existance  as  a  harvest  feast,  in 
our  hearts?  And  is  not  their  fulfilment  a  bless- 
ing of  Thy  grace,  is  not  every  work  of  our 
hands,  every  labor  of  the  mind  and  soul  a  green 
blade  of  promise,  a  bud,  a  blossom,  a  fruit, 
which  Thy  goodness  may  permit  to  germinate 
grow  and  ripen  ? 


A  rieditation  for  New  Year. 

"In  the  seventh  month,  on  the  first  day  of  the  month, 
you  shall  have  a  Sabbath,  a  memorial  of  blowing  of  Trumpets". 
{Leviticus  XXIII,  24.) 


Our  Gracious  Lord,  we  thank  Thee  on 
this  day  as  on  all  others  appointed  by  Thy 
sacred  will  for  the  blessing  of  rest  graciously 
vouchsafed  to  us  after  anxious  hours;  we  thank 
Thee  and  we  supplicate  Thy  Divine  goodness 


—     57     — 

to  inscribe  us  in  the  book  of  life,  and  while  we 
are  determined  to  mark  every  day  of  our  exist- 
ance  by  earnest  resolves  and  intentions,  zealous 
attempts  and  noble  aims,  strenuous  exertions 
and  conscientious  endeavors,  we  implore  Thy 
heavenly  grace  and  favor  to  allow  our  aspira- 
tions to  ripen  into  complete  fulfilment  of  every 
duty  and  the  performance  of  every  promise, 
into  the  redemption  of  all  pledges  and  the  suc- 
cessful achievement  of  our  appointed  work. 
Thus  cause  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  Almighty 
God,  to  become  worthy  of  Thy  beneficence  and 
blessed  in  being  privileged  to  adore  Thy  holy 
name,  and  to  obey  Thy  eternal  commandments! 
Amen. 


—     58     — 

A  rieditation  for  the  Day 
of  Atonement. 

fiojrd  Psalm  of  David.) 

Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul;  and  all  that  is 
within  me  bless  his  holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord, 
O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his  benefits:  who 
forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities;  who  healeth  all 
thy  diseases  :  who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  de- 
struction :  who  crowneth  thee  with  loving 
kindness  and  tender  mercies :  who  satisfieth 
thy  mouth  with  good  things,  so  that  thy  youth 
is  renewed  like  the  eagle's.  The  Lord  executeth 
righteous  acts,  and  judgments  for  all  that  are 
oppressed.  He  made  known  his  ways  unto 
Moses,  his  doings  unto  the  children  of  Israel. 
The  Lord  is  full  of  compassion  and  gracious, 
slow  to  anger  and  plenteous  in  mercy.  He  will 
not  always  chide,  neither  will  he  keep  his  anger 
for  ever.  He  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our 
sins,  nor  rewarded  us  after  our  iniquities.  For 
as  the  Heaven  is  high  above  the  earth,  so  great 
is  his  mercy  toward  them  that  fear  him.  As  far 
as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath  he  re- 
moved our  transgressions  from  us.  Like  as  a 


—     59     — 

father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth 
them  that  fear  him.  For  he  knoweth  our  frame; 
he  remembereth  that  we  are  dust.  As  for  man, 
his  days  are  as  grass;  as  a  flower  of  the  field 
so  he  flourisheth.  For  the  wind  passeth  over  it, 
and  it  is  gone,  and  the  place  thereof  shall  know 
it  no  more.  But  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear 
him,  and  his  righteousness  unto  children's 
children  to  such  as  keep  his  covenant,  and  to 
those  that  remember  his  precepts  to  do  them. 
The  Lord  hath  established  his  throne  in  the 
heavens  and  his  kingdom  ruleth  over  all.  Bless 
the  Lord  ye  angels  of  his;  ye  mighty  in  strength 
that  fulfil  his  word,  hearkening  unto  the  voice 
of  his  word.  Bless  the  Lord  all  ye  his  hosts,  ye 
ministers  of  his,  that  do  his  will.  Bless  the  Lord, 
all  ye  his  works,  in  all  places  of  his  dominion  : 
bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul. 


—     60     — 


Prayer  of  a  Bride  on   Her 
Wedding  Day. 


Almighty  Father,  full  of  trust,  I  lay  my 
future  lot  in  Thy  hand.  Veiled  with  uncertainty 
it  lies  before  me,  but  confiding  in  Thine  endless 
o-oodness  and  at  the  side  of  the  beloved  one 
whom  Thy  providence  has  allotted  unto  me,  I 
enter  with  cheerfulness  upon  the  new  state, 
upon  the  new  life  that  is  before  us,  confident 
that  Thine  assistance  will  not  be  lacking.  My 
God,  bless  the  union  which  we  are  about  to 
consummate  in  Thy  name,  and  pour  of  the 
fulness  of  Thy  divine  grace  upon  the  hour  in 
which  we  join  hearts  and  hands  forever.  I  will 
strive  to  be  a  dutiful  and  loving  wife,  to  emulate 
the  examples  of  virtue  among  the  noblest  of 
our  race,  that  I  may  earn  the  world's  respect  and 
Thy  benevolent  aid  and  countenance.  Pardon 
now,  I  entreat  Thee,  the  follies  of  my  youthful 
years  gone  by,  and  the  faults  I  have  been 
guilty  of  against  my  beloved  parents,  elders, 
relations  and  friends.  Consecrate  my  heart 
wholly  unto  Thy  service  and  let  me  walk  before 
Thee  robed  in  purity.  My  home  and  heart  to 


—     61     — 

Thee  I  devote,  to  Thee,  and  all  that  is  good 
and  noble;  aid  me  shun  the  vanities  and  follies 
of  life.  Guard  our  new  home  from  every  shape 
and  form  of  disaster  and  misfortune;  let  many 
happy  years  be  spent  there,  of  love  and  peace 
and  harmony,  free  from  envy  of  the  lot  of 
others,  and  free  from  the  bane  of  others  envy. 
Bless  and  prosper  unto  us  our  handiwork,  that 
on  us  the  words  may  be  realized :  "May  the 
the  Lord  give  thee  all  thy  heart  desires,  and 
may  all  thy  wishes  be  fulfilled"  Amen. 


Parent's  Prayer  on  their 
Child's  Wedding  Day. 


My  God,  the  joy  which  fills  my  heart  this 
day  is  very  great.  Not  alone  hast  Thou 
extended  Thy  protecting  hand  over  me  and 
mine  up  to  this  day,  but  Thou  hast  now  per- 
mitted me  to  taste  that  supreme  delight  of 
seeing  (my  beloved  son  wedded  to  a  wife  of  his 
choice)  (my  beloved  daughter  wedded  to  the 
husband  of  herheart).  Thou  who  lovest  all  Thy 


—     62     — 

creatures  as  a  Father,  Thou  knowest  well  the 
gratitude  and  joy  of  my  heart ;  for  my  tongue 
fails  me,  to  shape  the  words  that  best  will  tell 
them.  I  am  happy  when  I  remember  how 
manifold,  and  at  times  how  serious  were  the 
dangers  that  menaced  my  child's  life  from  in- 
fancy until  now,  and  the  cares  and  troubles  I 
too,  have  had  to  undergo;  and  that  over  all  of 
them  Thy  hand  did  help  us,  and  preserve  us 
from  injury  and  from  sorrow.  Grant  me  yet 
fuller  favor,  if  I  now  supplicate  Thy  blessings 
upon  these  my  children.  Give  the  newly 
wedded  couple  all  that  is  for  their  advantage 
and  happiness.  Grant  them  health  uninter- 
rupted, peace  and  happiness  together.  Let 
them  never  lose  their  faith  in  Thee,  but  know 
that  they  may  ever  turn  unto  Thy  grace  for 
help  in  time  of  need,  Bless  and  prosper  all 
their  undertakings.  Be  praised,  O  Lord,  our 
God  and  Universal  King  who  dost  rejoice  the 
heart  of  bride  and  bridegroom.  Amen. 


63     — 


Prayer  of  Thanksgiving 

for  Women  after  Recovery 

from  Childbirth. 


On  entring  the  synagogue  say: 

As  for  me,  in  the  abundance  of  Thy  loving 
kindness  will  I  come  into  Thy  house  :  I  will 
worship  toward  Thy  holy  temple  in  the  fear 
of  Thee. 

I  love  the  Lord,  because  He  heareth  my 
voice  and  my  supplications,  Because  he  hath 
inclined  His  ear  into  me,  therefore  will  I  call 
upon  Him  as  long  as  I  live.  The  cords  of  death 
had  encompassed  me  and  the  straits  of  the 
grave  had  come  upon  me:  I  found  trouble  and 
sorrow.  Then  I  called  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord:  O  Lord,  I  beseech  Thee,  deliver  my 
soul.  Gracious  is  the  Lord  and  righteous:  yea, 
our  God  is  merciful.  The  Lord  guardeth  the 
simple:  I  was  brought  low,  and  He  saved  me. 
Return  unto  Thy  rest,  O  my  soul;  for  the  Lord 
hath  dealt  bountifully  with  Thee.  For  Thou 
hast  delivered  my  soul  from  death,  mine  eyes 


—    64     — 

from  tears,  my  feet  from  falling.  I  shall  walk 
before  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living. 

What  can  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all 
His  benefits  towards  me  ?  I  will  offer  to  Thee 
the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving,  and  will  call  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord.  I  will  pay  my  vows  unto 
the  Lord,  yea,  in  the  presence  of  all  His  people; 
in  the  courts  of  the  Lord's  house,  in  the  midst 
of  thee,  O  Jerusalem.  Praise  ye  the  Lord. 

The  following  Blessing  is  then  said : 

Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe,  Who  vouchsafest  benefits  unto 
the  undeserving.  Who  hast  also  vouchsafed  all 
good  unto  me. 

O  God,  great,  mighty  and  revered,  in  the 
abundance  of  Thy  loving  kindness  I  enter  Thy 
house  to  offer  unto  Thee  the  sacrifice  of 
thanksgiving  for  all  the  benefits  Thou  hast  be- 
stowed upon  me.  Travail  beset  me;  pains  seized 
upon  me;  but  in  my  distress  I  cried  unto  Thee, 
and  from  Thine  habitation  Thou  didst  hear  my 
voice  and  didst  help  me.  Thou  didst  deliver 
my  soul  from  death  my  eys  from  tears,  my  feet 
from  falling.  Thou  didst  heal  all  my  sickness, 
and  crown  me  with  loving  kindness  and  tender 
mercy. 


—    65     — 

Hitherto  Thy  mercy  hath  helped  me.  I 
beseech  Thee,  O  God,  forsake  me  not  for  ever. 
Vouchsafe  Thy  blessing  unto  Thy  handmaid- 
strengthen  and  uphold  me  together  with  my 
husband,  that  we  may  rear  the  child  that  has 
been  born  unto  us  to  fear  Thee  and  serve  Thee 
in  truth,  and  to  walk  in  the  path  of  righteous- 
ness. Keep  the  tender  babe  in  all  his  (her) 
ways.  Favor  him  (her)  with  knowledge,  un- 
derstanding and  discernment,  and  let  his  (her) 
portion  be  in  Thy  Law,  so  that  he  (she)  may 
sanctify  Thy  great  name  and  become  a  comfort 
to  us  and  a  support  in  our  old  age. 

And  as  for  me,  may  my  prayer  unto  Thee 
O  Lord,  be  in  an  acceptable  time :  O  God,  in 
the  abundance  of  Thy  loving  kindness,  answer 
me  in  the  truth  of  Thy  salvation.  Amen. 

If  the  Infant  is  brought  into  the  Syna- 
gogue the  Minister  is  to  pronounce  the  Bene- 
diction over  it : 

The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee:  the 
Lord  make  his  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be 
crracious  unto  thee  :  the  Lord  turn  His  face 
unto  thee  and  give  thee  peace. 


—     66     — 

Prayer  For  a  Sick  Child. 

Allmerciful  God,  from  the  depths  of  a 
woe-stricken  heart  I  call  to  Thee ;  Father, 
hearken  unto  my  prayer.  Spare  my  child, 
sJDare  its  young  life  to  me,  Lord  of  mercy; 
take  not  from  me  this  beloved  treasure  Thou 
hast  bestowed  upon  me,  I  know  that  this  like 
all  other  of  my  possessions  is  of  Thee  and 
through  Thy  favor:  according  to  Thy  will  shall 
be  its  disposition.  Do  Thou  grant  it  to  remain 
to  me.  In  days  of  old,  Thou  didst  proclaim  to 
Thy  suffering  community :  "Call  upon  Me  in 
time  of  need  and  I  will  hear  thee."  And  in  Thy 
name  Thy  servant  Isaiah  assured  Thy  people 
Israel,  "I  will  pour  out  My  spirit  upon  thy 
children  and  My  blessing  upon  thy  pos- 
terity." So  let  this  promise  be  extended  unto 
my  child  as  well;  grant  health  and  long 
life  unto  it.  To  me  too,  give  strength  in  all  the 
trials  and  straits  of  life,  and  fortify  my  courage 
in  performance  of  my  religious  duties,  and  the 
endurance  of  what  Thou  dost  see  fit  to  lay 
upon  us  to  bear.  In  Thee.  O  Lord,  I  place  my 
trust,  Thou  art  from  of  old  our  refuge  and  our 
help  near  to  all  who  seek  Thee.  Amen. 


—     67 


A  5hort  Form  of  Grace 
After  Meals. 


Blessed  Art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe.  Who  feedest  the  whole  world 
with  Thy  goodness,  with  grace,  with  loving 
kindness  and  tender  mercy ;  Thou  givest  food 
to  all  flesh,  for  Thy  kindness  endureth  forever. 
Through  Thy  great  Goodness  food  hath 
never  failed  us:  O  may  it  not  fail  for  ever  and 
ever  for  Thy  great  name's  sake,  since  Thou 
nourishest  and  sustainest  all  beings,  and  doest 
good  unto  all,  and  providest  food  for  all  Thy 
creatures  w^iom  Thou  hast  created.  Blessed  art 
Thou,  O  Lord,  Who  givest  food  unto  all. 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord  our  God,  because 
Thou  didst  give  as  an  heritage  unto  our  fathers 
a  desirable,  good  and  ample  land,  the  covenent 
and  the  Law  and  food  in  plenty.  Blessed  art 
Thou,  O  Lord,  for  the  land  and  for  the  food. 

Have  compassion,  O  Lord  our  God,  upon 
Israel,  Thy  people,  and  upon  the  kingdom  of 
the  House  of  David,  Thine  annointed:  speedily 
magnify  the  glory  of  the  Temple,  and  doubly 
comfort  us.  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  Who  in 


—    68     — 

Thy  compassion  rebuildest  Jerusalem.  Amen. 

Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  O  God, 
our  Father,  our  King,  Who  art  kind  and  dealest 
kindly  with  all;  Thou  hast  dealt  kindly,  dost 
deal  kindly,  and  wilt  deal  kindly  with  us;  Thou 
hast  bestowed,  Thou  dost  bestow.  Thou  wilt 
ever  bestow  upon  us  grace,  lovingkindness  and 
mercy. 

O  make  us  worthy  of  the  days  of  the 
Messiah  and  of  the  life  of  the  world  to  come. 
The  Lord  will  gives  trength  to  His  people:  the 
Lord  will  bless  His  people  with  peace. 


Morning  Prayer  For 
Children. 


Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe.  Who  removest  sleep  from  mine 
eyes  and  slumber  from  mine  eyelids. 

Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe,  Who  hast  given  us  the  Law  of 
truth  and  hast  planted  everlasting  life  in  our 
midst. 


—     69     — 


Moses  commanded  us  the  Law  as  an  in- 
heritance of  the  congregation  of  Jacob. 

Hear,  O  Israel:  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Lord 

is  one.  Blessed  be  His  name,  whose  glorious 

kingdom  is  for  ever  and  ever.  And  thou  shalt 

love  the  Lord,  thy  God  with  all  thine  heart, 

.  with  all  thy  soul  and  with  all  thy  might. 

And  these  words  which  I  command  thee 
this  day  shall  be  upon  thine  heart:  and  thou 
shalt  teach  them  diligently  unto  thy  children, 
and  shalt  talk  of  them  when  thou  sittest  in 
thine  house,  and  when  thou  walkest  by  the 
way,  and  when  thou  liest  down  and  when  thou 
risest  up.  And  thou  shalt  bind  them  for  a  sign 
upon  thine  hand,  and  they  shall  be  for  frontlets 
between  thine  eyes.  And  thou  shalt  write  them 
upon  the  doorposts  of  thy  house  and  upon  thy 
gates. 

O  my  God,   guard  my  tongue  from  evil 
and  my  lips  from  speaking  guile. 

Open  my  heart  to  Thy  Law,  and  let  my 
soul  pursue  Thy  commandments. 


—     70     — 


Let  the  words  of  my  mouth  and  the  medi- 
tation of  my  hearth  be  acceptable  before  Thee, 
O  Lord,  my  Rock  and  my  Redeemer. 


Night  Prayer  for  Cliildren. 


Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King 
of  the  universe,  Who  makest  the  bands  of  sleep 
to  fall  upon  mine  eyes  and  slumber  upon  mine 
eyelids. 

May  it  be  Thy  will,  O  Lord  my  God  and 
God  of  my  fathers,  to  suffer  me  to  lie  down  in 
peace,  and  to  let  me  rise  up  again  in  peace. 

ni^D  Dt:^  "jinn  nns*  "  irn'^.s  •'^  bi<i^'  v^^ 

Hear,  O  Israel:  the  Lord  our  God,  the 
Lord  is  one.  Blessed  be  His  name,  whose  glori- 
ous kingdom  is  for  ever  and  ever.  And  thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  Thy  God  with  all  thine 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
might. 


—     71     — 

And  these  words  which  I  command  thee 
this  day  shall  be  upon  thine  heart:  and  thou 
shalt  teach  them  diligently  unto  thy  children, 
and  thou  shalt  talk  of  them  when  thou  sittest 
in  thine  house  and  when  thou  walkest  by  the 
way,  and  when  thou  liest  down  and  when  thou 
risest  up.  And  thou  shalt  bind  them  for  a  sign 
upon  thine  hand,  and  they  shall  be  for  frontlets 
between  thine  eyes.  And  thou  shalt  write  them 
upon  the  doorposts  of  thy  house  and  upon  thy 
gates. 

Blessed  be  the  Lord  by  day;  blessed  be  the 
Lord  by  night.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  when  we 
lie  down;  blessed  be  the  Lord  when  we  rise  up. 

Behold,  He  that  guardeth  Israel  will 
neither  slumber  nor  sleep. 

Into  Thy  hand  I  commend  my  spirit:  Thou 
hast  redeemed  me,  O  Lord  God  of  truth.  For 
Thy  salvation  I  hope,  O  Lord. 


7  _    72     — 

Confession  on  a  Death  Bed. 


I  acknowledge  unto  Thee,  O  Lord  my 
God  and  God  of  my  fathers,  that  both  my  cure 
and  my  death  are  in  Thy  hands.  May  it  be  Thy 
will  to  send  me  a  perfect  healing.  Yet  if  my 
death  be  fully  determined  by  Thee,  I  wall  in 
love  accept  it  at  Thy  hand.  O  may  my  death 
be  an  atonement  for  all  the  sins,  iniquities  and 
transgressions,  of  which  I  have  been  guilty 
against  Thee.  Vouchsafe  unto  me  of  the  abound- 
ing happiness  that  is  treasured  up  for  the 
righteous.  Make  known  to  me  the  path  of  life: 
in  Thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy;  at  Thy  right 
hand  are  pleasures  for  evermore. 

Thou  Who  art  the  father  of  the  fatherless 
and  judge  of  the  widow,  protect  my  beloved 
kindred  with  whose  soul  my  own  is  knit.  Into 
Thy  hand  I  commend  my  spirit;  Thou  hast  re 
deemed  me,  O  Lord,  God  of  Truth.  Amen  and 
Amen! 

When  the  end  is  approaching : 

The  Lord  reigneth;  the  Lord  hath  reigned; 
the  Lord  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 

(To  be  said  three  times.) 


—     73     — 

Blessed  be  His  name  whose  glorious  kino-- 
dom  is  for  ever  and  ever. 

(To  be  said  three  times.) 

The  Lord  is  God.     .D\lbxn  Xin  "^ 

(To  be  said  seven  times.)  ' 

Hear,  O  Israel:  The  Lord  our  God,  the 
Lord  is  one. 


Memorial  Service  for 
the  Dead. 


On  Holy  Days  when  the  Memorial  Service  is 

held  and  on  the  anniversaries  of  the  deaths  of 

Parents,  the  following  is  said: 

May  God  remember  the  soul  of  my  re- 
vered father  (mother)  who  has  gone  to  his  (her) 
repose.  May  his  (her)  soul  be  bound  up  in  the 
bond  of  life.  May  his  (her)  rest  be  glorious  with 
fullness  of  joy  in  Thy  presence,  and  pleasures^ 
for  evermore  at  Thy  right  hand. 

Father  of  mercy,  in  whose  hand  are  the 
souls   of  the  living  and  the  dead,    may   Thy 


—     74     — 

consolation  cheer  us  as  we  remember  (on  this) 
holy  day)  our  beloved  and  kinsfolk  who  have 
gone  to  their  rest,  our  dear  parents,  the  crown 
of  our  head  and  our  glory,  whose  desire  it  was 
to  train  us  in  the  good  and  righteous  way,  to 
teach  us  Thy  statutes  and  commandments,  and 
to  instruct  us  to  do  justice  and  to  love  mercy. 
We  beseech  Thee,  O  Lord,  grant  us  strength  to 
be  faithful  to  their  charge  while  the  breath  of 
life  is  within  us.  And  may  their  souls  repose  in 
the  land  of  the  living,  beholding  Thy  glory  and 
delighting  in  Thy  goodness. 

And  now,  O  good  and  beneficent  God, 
what  shall  we  say,  what  shall  we  speak  unto 
Thee  ?  Our  needs  are  many,  our  knowledge 
slender.  Shame  covers  us  as  often  as  the  re- 
membrance of  all  Thy  love  for  us  rises  within 
our  minds.  May  Thy  lovingkindness  not  depart 
from  us.  Give  us  our  needful  sustenance,  and  let 
us  not  be  in  want  of  the  gifts  of  flesh  and  blood. 
Remove  from  us  care  and  sorrow,  distress  and 
fear,  shame  and  contempt.  Let  Thy  grace  be 
with  us,  that  we  ma)  rear  our  children  to  keep 
Thy  commandments  and  to  fulfil  Thy  will  all 
the  days  of  their  life.  O  God,  take  us  not  hence 
in  the  midst  of  our  da)  s.    Let  us  complete  in 


—     75     — 

peace  the  number  of  our  years.  Verily  we 
know  that  our  strength  is  frail  and  that  Thou 
hast  made  our  days  as  handbreadths.  Help  us, 
O  God  of  our  salvation  to  bear  ourselves  faith- 
fully and  blamelessly  during  the  years  of  our 
pilgrimage.  And  when  our  end  draws  nigh  and 
we  depart  this  world  be  Thou  with  us,  and 
may  our  souls  be  bound  up  in  the  land  of  life 
with  the  souls  of  our  parents  and  of  the  right- 
eous who  are  ever  with  Thee,  Amen  and 
Amen ! 


Selections  from  the  Psalms 
of  David. 


Unto  Thee,  0  Lord  do  I  lift  up  my  soul. 

O  my  God,  in  Thee  have  I  trusted,  let  me 
not  be  ashamed;  let  not  mine  enemies  triumph 
over  me.  Yea,  none  that  wait  on  Thee  shall 
be  ashamed;  They  shall  be  ashamed  that  deal 
treacherously  without  cause.  Show  me  Thy 
ways,  O  Lord;  teach  me  Thy  paths.  Guide  me 
in  Thy  truth   and  teach  me;  for  Thou  art  the 


—     76     — 

God  of  my  salvation;  on  Thee  do  I  wait  all  the 
day.  Remember  0  Lord,  Thy  tender  mercies 
and  Thy  lovingkindnesses;  for  they  have  been 
ever  of  old.  Remember  not  the  sins  of  my 
youth,  nor  my  transgressions:  according  to 
Thy  lovingkindness  remember  Thou  me,  for 
Thy  goodness'  sake  O  Lord.  Have  mercy 
upon  me  O  God,  according  to  Thy  loving- 
kindness;  according  to  the  multitude  of  Thy 
tender  mercies  blot  out  my  transgressions. 
Wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine  iniquitity, 
and  cleanse  me  from  my  sin.  For  I  acknowl- 
edge my  transgressions,  and  my  sin  is  ever 
before  me.  Purge  me  with  hyssop  and  I  shall 
be  clean ;  wash  me  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than 
snow.  Hide  thy  face  from  my  sins,  and  blot 
out  all  mine  iniquities.  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart.  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within 
nie.  Good  and  upright  is  the  Lord;  therefore 
will  He  instruct  sinners  in  the  way.  The  meek 
will  he  guide  in  judgment :  and  the  meek 
will  he  teach  His  way.  All  the  paths  of  the 
Lord  are  lovingkindness  and  truth,  unto  such 
as  keep  His  covenant  and  His  testamonies. 
For  Thy  name's  sake,  O  Lord,  pardon  mine 
iniquity,  for  it  is  great.  Behold  the  eye  of  the 


-     77     - 

Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear  Him,  upon  them 
that  hope  in  His  mercy;  to  deHver  their  soul 
froni  death  and  to  keep  them  ahve  in  famine. 
Our  soul  hath  waited  for  the  Lord:  He  is  our 
help  and  our  shield.  For  our  heart  shall  rejoict- 
in  Him,  because  we  have  trusted  in  His  hol\ 
name.  Let  thy  mercy,  O  Lord,  be  upon  us, 
according  as  we  have  hoped  in  Thee. 

(The  above  selections  form  a  confession  which  is  said  b) 
the  pious  every  night  before  retiring  to  rest. ) 


—  8  — 

:)3  n:)!3n  k^hk'  n^bjjx  ptj'bn  "n  -i  tj'  ?  n  ««  manon 
jyori  niyi3vni  mnB'sn  5n-ik^^  nun  ^535  nynb  D^vinjn  n'y^n 
mo  jnyn"'  p-ion  '"y  "npy^  n"3«  n?'5n  Din"  n^b' 
no^'  ni"s'D  ^3X  ,njD"inn  ht'd  m'pinm  nb^:in  D^ip^  n^k^i  ,nnn\n 
« n  ^  -1  Q  >  D  ^  1  tj* "  :>  n  N  i„  ija  D"""pn^  n  ninsn  ^33  noB' 
D^crn  D3nn  "13  ynison  ain  n"n  -ijnn^  p^pi  Dp?  3"vi 
p-iiSC  N-is*33  T'3S3n  2in  '"J  piixK'-i\n  12]}  Dm3K  n"-iniD 
D-inDi  nnK''  nno  )3  "inrn  D'vin:n  onpyni  D^J'in  ba  dk 
.Diob^  bp3  HNn^B'  n3  ,nDM  D^yj  nn^D^i  nvi  5p  ptj'bn 
5TIJ3  nn  1^  iiry  D^pbx  nsi^n  nib''3B'oi  nvjo3nn  vn^jni 
nvnb  bnxn  nx  nan^i  ]'j3n  nx  ?^3c^b  nncn  nstrn  ino3n 
HEj'np?  /HuiD  nno3  njioxr'i  n-iinb  ''"3  bti*  ]2'?  aip:?  ,nnK 
nivo  3"y  ,nin  nmn  n^■I'  pNniy^  n^n  ba  nisrbi  ^mnD"?) 
b^a  nrn  np\n  iSDn  n\T'Ej'  :?k"i5J''  13  ^3  ?y  ip'  3ini  ^npnj 
Tiix.  u  n^'pw  •'Knin  n"nn  dtdk'S  pnnon  ^di  .in-'Da 
."ri  K  T  n  n  1 1  n  n   ^  i  3  n  n  n  n  ^  p  '  i  k'  « 

.p"B?  n"y^n  bibs  k"3  'J  dv  n'nv  ^nxn 
.ynyjKpi  3"nKT  D^mn  miJN5  TV 


-    7- 

.piNMj  ns  p'  qS  3"D-in  n35J>  517k  t^^^:)  ')  dv  rro 

T'ninD  D'DK'  nx-i'i  nnin  n^o  naajn  mn  nuab 
D1:'t^•  •'"3  i^^iiNK'i'n  -lay  nn-inN 

'3  ^ry3  aD'^i  n  >nyv  ,p3j  ^k  ^jy^jn  "minn  >"Qy  bt^iK'' 
.nxrn  px3  nn^un  rssnc'^  nna:)  ns'y^  nm  nait:  psD  ^nf^n 
"ni  nntj'an  n^an  niD^bn^  D^wun  n^jnn  :53  ixno  Nin  ••a 
?3n  .minn  >"sy  mot*'!?  nn^mo  n^^N-iK^\n  njj'xn  nt^'x  niK>^N 
!>^3n  -itj'K   »j{>>n   pbnn)   ,jn^  nj2ion  n>pji  nbp  'baa  nsK'a 

.nirnni  ni^'sn  in"ip3 

^KiB''  niJ3  ^K>  pSa  prnoi  ,nvy:  n):v:r\2  nis'  ni^'snn 

in5j'yonif)3?  'mmry'  ^a^nipna  ti'  n"a  pnoani  n:)K)iin  rn 

n:t^3  n3i3i  D^^JK^ai  2"3i   innQtro  :)yi  v^^y  v^qk'^i  ^nn  nc's 

.j»N  DOB^^Ji  D'aiD  D^nb  Dnn^  ana^i  ^'yan 

n^-^ioi  naaD  ^jjn 

p")N'"i:     -iSN  jnar  p"pa  K'mpn  nnojj'o  noit^ 
?"jn  K'nn»n  nua  D^poisn  nao  mini 


—   6   — 

nsDD  no!:>E'  ?'n  ^jyy  nua  nm-kj'  hdic'  ipt^n  hb'k  :"2  ^an 

n3nK2  K'"T  nn'  .i^ys  ai  ^ly 

'f'li  ')hn  'n«  nt^*D  n"iD  jis*:.-;::  '2-^  b.siDii* 

p-iK'i3  p"sin  {KT'iio  m 


y"2?  T'nyn  pk>kt  "itk  ^^in  k'ki  'n  dv  'n  dk>2 

|nir"'i  bnji  m  n"n  nn^  rix  Di^d  na-in  yDt>  ixt^^  Dnn 
:nyj  lojr  mr  piNtri\n  r^n  iny  Dn-inx  'n  3in  d"cv  "pai  fi-in 

nDL:>3  n33'  IK'S  nsD  nx  i^o^^  nf^t;''?  "ik'P3n  !t2"nKnnK 

^{^'^«!5  Religious  Duties  of  the  Daughters  of  Israel   nriOH 

yzu)  nn^i'io  nwi  NJNp-tj'3  D^o-n  mpi  ^ynb  NK'jjT'jn  nn 
'man  "nnao  ^anaai  .n^yn^  nL**N  njn:n  xK'jnK'  did  mc:?^'3N 

■nsD  nx  ''T'^  yjnni  .ly^^r^Ni  'n  nsn^jox  -"j^n  nsr^  ."^n  n^tj* 
."^y  D''B'^  nt^x  iTno  n  n:?{j'N  Dvn  K'pno  "'33N  "ik'N 
nn'  .31D  ban  lanao  'jjn  nni 

XDD^^  hi  n-'xc  '^xnr;  "i  n"«:j  jitj^na  ::py^  Dni:ji« 

/csjrDrDa  nnyi  NJxp'tf>o  lyoDy?  njiaon 


■    -  5   - 

p"B*>  2'  'y-in  m^  n^x  i^nnb  i"o  'n  or  piN^iJ  n"3 
n"io  n"c;'P3  "in  nbnn^  Do-nsDn  'jn  3-in  nn^  nna 

Dt^'2  iK^N  ninita  nnoi  ,niDbn  nps*  on^^y  ei-'Din:?  n^  n^Jt^ 
map  iDy  -n  \t'i  !-iej'^'.n3D  xriysb  Nrcs  .Nnp'  'mt^  :)n  >«„ 
.pK'y^  -ijTN  nK>yoni  /Hi  isb'  '\-\ir^  lyn^  lyo^  ,bNiK'^  nijn  ns 
imano  ^jn  ,n"'Lrnn  onnn  hv  niDaon  |n^  "am  px  ^a  fixi 
n'lnb  iiON^  ,ijnjno3  D\"n3io  nnrn  nnmno  t«\-i  mpM 
D^n^JDn  n»n  ^Nitr^  niJDi  ,D^::'jn  i;)n  :3"n  it^nn  ■iB'xa  apy 
,n  n  a  tr  o  n  m  n  d  a  ^irnnoa  rinn\-i  nvpb  njs  pxn 
n'"in3  HK'y  :)nj  -121  p:?  .onb^n  -jirni  .n^nn  nnc»3i 
.nix:)  naion  inaK'no  N^xin^  loy  ij'pbx  't  ^^'  .ip^  nsDn  nrn 

.Dmaa  p"nm  niD"  nx  prn^i  D""p^  trnnn  inn  lyi'  lyob 
ipys  nyn  inix  i-iaoni  onn^vni  i"):;'x  psnn  itt'  ^jjhi 

i3iyD  n^piDi  n33D  ,nnn\n  nm^b  nK'iyi  na^y  ictk  aitsn 


^"3  piKK'Tn  nny  nmax  'nnio  'la  'jn  mn  ^""7'  nsn 
inain  ^kik'^  nin  nob;?  ""'jn  ■ip\n    neon   D^ann    nx   nar 
m^Di  ,Bnm  nno  ••"n  pa  manon  ••^jjk  natj'a  p"nm  '"sy 


-  4  - 

.n^JD  .-13^31  Di^t:*  ^'O  pistrvn  nay  DmaK  't  n"iD  incanb 

minn  ""s  py  bsiK'^'K^J  niiin//  ijrn  iidd  "npnp 
iTyn  -iK'xa  dj»k  nj^ion  nsK'  rao  ^j^k  ^a  DsSi  "nn*Dm 
,nnnM  naiup  nt^y  SnJ  -inn  o  .n'sbioix^jjn  /jb:)  D^ynvn 
-iE>s  nx  DiiEJ'ba  nnb  ymnb  nnt^-Dn^  niyiJi*n  bi'iK''  'K'J 
inns  ^c^•x  .y^r  y"3  irnm  nnpyn  i^^m  ,mK'y:'i  iioiJ'P  jn^by 
.D^a-in  ns  niaiP  <{KnsT  nc'ba  npxa  nnian 
,sin  pna  nai  onik''  nijmD^pT'na  yr  ncrs  ni3  nirn 
K^anb  iVDfc<n^  ,iminbi  nb  d^jdnjh  ij^oy  ^anj  ^3  ^jnuaioi 
sbo    nD32   lobtJ'M   ,ntn  nonin  n^an  nana  nn^a  pk 

.i:5oy  nys 

iKB'jpi  ipni:5  ^oy  't  'n^  ."la-ins^   ,  rrop  n-nn  i^dn  ^Jjm 

.N03  pNnK^'^  pp  nonna 

p"p£)inn  «iipD«oo  piiy-n^ii  2pv'  w'n  d«j 


2102235 


~  3  — 

PDiy  N""n  nsi^i  minn  D^n  Dan  nnion  sj^-^nS  yni3  ri-njoi 

iPNiDB'  JT-m  ,Dn-i3N  H^a  n"it^  D-Tia  1^5  p^i  mm 'pina- 

y':  I'^iNK'TTi  "12V  Dmns  n'"io  ^s"itj"'3  jnij  intj*  n"n 

n^pJJN  nstra  pN-itr"  "-k':  nmn  iidd  n"y  irT'E'  T'nx 
^t^'x  nnt^'''  nnni  nnSn  nisDinn  rr'jB'  id-qth!?  inyna  ib^n 
on  J  ':d5  pvi:?  n!?y  "3  ib  'nana  -133  -n-iK'  ^n  s  q^i  Nip' 
"lorpi  rvnn  np'y  '3  ,B>D:i'3  nnn3  nn3nn  '3  D'^sdh  ^NitJ" 
"lirni  .Jirrn  nt^np  ,n3*^  rn'ot:'  ,nK'b5?'  Dan  nsrn  nya 
nDDin"i3nr:3  nvoj  nbx  ^3i  ,^11^"  nnoa  minn  -"sy  D'Jsn 
,nox3  '1  nNi'3i  EJ'np3  niD' ii^'N  ,n3^"in  "  "sy  lonji  ip' 
nE'N  ,ntJ'y^  iK'N  ncryon  nxi  ,n3  13^-  "ninn  apy  rrs^  tjh? 
npin:5  N'^tavx  nnix^ixvTiNii  ,"'N3r''"yni3r  ij^jnj  ''sip^jn 
'::r\  ;no3Dn3  ni^y^  'jdjd  {rp3  -lt^•x3^  ,n3  13^'  i-nn  "\  oyb 
DtJ^iTib  ,n3i  i4i3J^vnyT  ••3  /'B'Sj  ni^  ^33  a'3Dn^  D'atj'O 
riK  na'Ti  n3T  njni  ,nrb!no  p'so  ns  .mjN3  mi  in^bm  )n 
'j^n  13!?  ,nNTn  minn  nan  nx  D»p'  ik'n  nih  *in3i  ,D'3-in 
ba  Ni5j:'  'ni  .ina  nc''"'  ,N3t3  N:)yB^  ,-iidn^  'Dvyb  n3in  nvid 
n"K'n  \TT  K'BJi  /itj'Dja  nait:?  laa:?  ni^sNB'D 


.     -I    B   D 

looDnB'  trnipn  mnt:  by  nnsK^on  ^^ni  nnt'sa  nun  njnjnb 
n^jc  ix^ao  "jjn  mjic'x-in  ion  isd  -ici'sai  ,13101;  "':?nJ  r^y 
-Ipnj  D3Dn2  niicr^  nniDi  n^ri  u  ^nsDini  .Disin  n'2h 
nDt^'3  ^^Dt^'D^  mnu  ^y  DnsD  -D-'Enr:  m  "itrN3i ,  D'jain 
nsD  ^y  m»3Dnn  ^noDnn  pb  ,Dn^by  iiddp  pn  ik^n  nyi^n 
.nx-iinn  m»y  D'jmn  »bnjo  nt 


miynbi  mintJ  bsit^^  'sbsn  b^^  --jod  i-sain  n^K  W 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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•\^' 


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